


Heaven and Hell

by hanabimonai



Series: The Balancing Acts [2]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, F/M, M/M, Romance, Secret Relationship, Vindictive Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-01
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-11-06 13:39:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 40,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/419520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanabimonai/pseuds/hanabimonai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Months have passed since the conclusion of the events of <i>Guilt and Innocence.</i> Allen and Kanda would be ecstatic, if they could only get some time alone together. But they have friends. Friends with 'problems.' And somewhere in the world, there is an Innocence called the <i>Heart.</i> Are they getting any closer to finding it? <b>Rated M for mature scenes and profanity.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kanda & Allen

Kanda Yuu was in hell— no, a waking  _nightmare…_

Some sort of torture, anyway. He was already wound up pretty tight on his own. But these days, whenever he went to his preferred tranquil room to meditate, Miss Lenalee Lee would arrive to jabber on about her jealousy over the new exorcist Raphael's newfound popularity with other female workers at the Order, and how anxious she is about keeping their relationship secret from her brother. Why she felt the need to confide in  _him_ , Kanda didn't know, but thanks to her little confessionals, he was missing out on time to focus his mind… and was learning there was much more to the quiet, nerdy Finder-turned-Exorcist than initially met his eye. And if Lenalee ever came crying to him because of something Raphael  _did_ , Kanda would be sure to make him pay for every second of quiet contemplation lost comforting her.

When he found time to roam the Order's courtyards and gardens, a disquieting Krory was there, oblivious to Kanda's presence as he either talked to himself or chatted with the flowers. Kanda wasn't sure which of the two he believed he was doing. Both possibilities were equal parts irritating and disturbing.

Lately, whenever he went to the gym to train, he'd keep catching himself checking the mirrored wall for the familiar form of one Allen Walker. To… spar with.

Worse than that, he wasn't ever  _there_.

For two months straight— two months from the conclusion of the fateful assignment that brought the two of them together in the most intimate way— they were always on different jobs. Never were both at the Order for long enough to do much more than exchange meaningful looks. He would never admit it to anyone, but once he'd finally indulged his ridiculous desire to touch that idiot bean sprout, bothersome  _feelings_  emerged. like a thirsty man given a drop of water, he craved more.

So when the day finally came that he had just returned from a mission, was sitting alone in the food hall, and an ethereal, white-haired, silver-eyed creature suddenly sat across from him, Kanda could hardly believe it. His heart leapt and words left his mouth before he could think: "You're…  _here."_

"Yeah. So you missed me huh?" He smiled seductively, chin cradled in his hands; elbows on the table.

Walker's eyes were clearly undressing him. Kanda found himself doing the same in retaliation. The room temperature seemed to jump about ten degrees. But feeling the need to save face after those lame words of greeting, Kanda played it cool; "Tch. I managed."

Walker's voice dropped low, so none at the neighbouring tables could hear: "Jerk. I've been  _dying_  to get my hands on you. And that lovely splash of additional colour to your face tells me you're not feeling all that different."

"Pfft. Awfully smug for someone with so little self control."

Walker scowled and leaned back, crossing his arms. It looked like he was about to say something, when Lenalee and Lavi arrived to join them. Instead, he held his tongue, starting in on his gargantuan meal with a wrinkle of frustration between his brows.

_Shit. Maybe I went too far…?_

"Yuu! Allen-chan! So you two really  _can_  have civilized conversations after all. Well, you do both look a little heated up already but hopefully—"

" _Don't call me that!"_  Kanda snapped by way of greeting.

"Believe it or not, Lavi, it seems even  _Kanda_  here has  _some_  self control." Walker observed acidly, exchanging a defiant look for Kanda's sour one.

"Tch. More than  _you_ , Baka-Moyashi."

Walker simply rolled his eyes at that.

_What was I worried about? He's as thick-skinned as he's thick-skulled, after all…_

As Kanda's traitorous thoughts turned to longing remembrances of the touch of that (actually not really "thick," but surprisingly  _delicate_ ) skin against his own, he was startled by the soft brush of fabric over his leather-booted foot— up his ankle— along the outside of his leg— and finally over his thigh, all hidden beneath the table.

_Moyashi? No. way. You've GOT to be kidding me…_

Lenalee, to his left, lightly scolded Lavi for provoking Kanda. Lavi, to Walker's right was wearing an embarrassed smile and scratching the back of his head. But directly across from him, Allen Walker hadn't missed a beat since tucking into his meal. He was a completely inconspicuous shameless deviant.

Now he shot Kanda a glance that  _dared_  him to say something or try leaving the table. Of course, Kanda wouldn't. He could only imagine what humiliating words might come out of the frustratingly attractive boy's mouth, as soon as he tried. Tiny beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

"Soba extra  _spicy_  today, Kanda?" The nonchalant Allen asked while his foot rubbed up and down Kanda's inner thigh. "You seem a little…  _overheated?"_

"I can handle it  _fine_ ," he snarled, looking daggers at the smirking bean sprout while simultaneously fighting to regulate his breathing.

Just as Kanda was thinking of shifting just enough to the right to avoid Walker's reach, that option was robbed from him. Noise Marie had materialized out of nowhere to sit at his right, while Miranda Lotto carefully seated herself at Walker's left.  _Damnit! I'm trapped._

When the new pair greeted him, Kanda nodded in acknowledgement. Walker managed to juggle smiley greetings with stuffing his face, and all the while driving one Asian exorcist positively insane.  _Bastard juggles as well with this stuff as he does with objects in his hands…_

Kanda mentally reproved himself for beginning to think about  _other_  'stuff' Walker was good at doing with 'objects' in his hands…

Distracted though he was, Kanda noticed Lavi's eyes had barely left their softly focused gaze on Lenalee since the two of them arrived. The redhead appeared to be telling an anecdote that often had her laughing aloud. Noise and Lotto, on the other hand, were simply mooning at each other as if there was no one else in the room, a youthful blush gracing the woman's cheeks. _Well, at least we're not like_ them…

Kanda's attempts to primly close or cross his legs turned out to be rather weak-willed, as they involuntarily slackened and slid apart at Walker's touch anyway, and crossing his legs was damn uncomfortable!

"Can I try one of these ebi fry?" Even as he spoke, Walker snatched a tempura battered prawn from Kanda's tray, and rolled it until it emerged, dripping, with dipping sauce.

 _No… he_ wouldn't—

 _Oh god… he_ would?

Kanda was barely able to swallow one last lump of noodles before his jaw went slack. He was now transfixed by the young man opposite him who had just swiveled ever-so-slightly into profile and begun to lick droplets of the sweet, tangy soya/mirin blend from the oblong swell of golden batter, pink tongue swirling around the tip to catch them all.

"Mmmm… Kanda, it's good." Walker smiled deviously, looking him in the eye and licking his lips with that slick, hot,  _wet_  muscle in his mouth; " _Really_  good."

That was it. He was a goner now. There was no way he could hold back the particular physical reaction that twisted Brit was seeking, thanks to the dual attack from above and below the table. Meanwhile, everyone else proved to be absorbed in their own conversations. Kanda wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Somehow sporting the most innocent expression, Walker proceeded to suck and lick at the long, slightly curved shaft of deep-fried shellfish. Kanda's incredulous eyes were now glued to the goings on in front of him. As half the thick, rounded stick of seafood thrust into his mouth, Walker slid his foot firmly against Kanda's thigh. He immediately pulled it partway back out through his pale pink lips, his foot mirroring this action as well. Then he finally plunged it back in again until it disappeared with a single big swallow.

Mesmerized as the brazen exorcist slooowly licked crumbs off his fingers, Kanda dropped his chopsticks— and he was  _almost_  too turned on to care.

"Y'alright there, Yuu? You look a little uhh…  _feverish,"_  Lavi observed.

"Oh no, you dropped your  _o-hashi,_  Kanda! Here, let me get this one for you—" Allen easily bent backward to reach a chopstick that had rolled behind him, without his foot leaving Kanda's thigh. In fact, as he gripped the table for support and lowered his upper body parallel to the floor, the delinquent gymnast's fully extended foot was able to reach far enough to stroke lightly along Kanda's growing erection.

He huffed with what he  _hoped_  appeared to be annoyance, and sent Walker a glare that he  _hoped_  looked angry. His  _provocateur_  only stuck out his tongue in answer.

_Fuck! Shit! Fuck! I'm going to fuck the living daylights out of you after this, you goddamn TEASE!_

Having lost— for now— Kanda bitterly announced: "I'm going to finish this in my room."

Careful placement of his food tray would help him make a getaway from his maniacal pervert of a boyfriend without attracting unwanted attention to the renegade bulge in his pants. He stood up to walk toward the canteen entrance, turning his back to Walker.

"You're going?" Kanda had braced himself for triumphant laughter or further veiled teasing about what he intended to 'finish,' but instead, the bean sprout now sounded markedly  _disappointed_.

Kanda glanced back over his shoulder. Walker wasn't smiling anymore. In fact, he looked utterly  _forlorn_.

"Then see you around, Kanda. After lunch, I leave again directly. With Toma."

_Like our first assignment together at Martel—_

After another second's brief eye contact, Kanda continued on his way, realizing just how badly he must have put his foot in it earlier, for Moyashi to look at him like _that_. He felt like a total asshole— it even  _bothered_  him. But asshole or not, he  _would_  get his revenge for losing the battle of the lunchroom.


	2. Lavi & ????

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the short length of this one-- originally, it was a 2400+ word monster of a chapter, so I broke it up where it made the most sense. ^_^;
> 
> I'll be giving you chapter 3 right away to make up for it. <333  
> And _omg_ , DGM chapter 2 **14**! T_T

Lavi was in a bind. No biggie, though.

Just kind of… pure existential turmoil.

Of course, neither turmoil nor existential doubt becomes a budding young Bookman.

 _What am I_ doing? _'Lavi' isn't real. One day, I'll have to discard 'him.' I must forget all these_ feelings _. Keep them light and shallow, like the colours of a snake's shed skin._

_No name. No personal history. No unattainable desires…_

_Bookman only._ Only _Bookman. Because there is no—_

"Lavi, you better be thankful you weren't there. It was so  _awful!_  And I mean  _really_  awful. At first I thought I'd get some small souvenirs for everyone, but really, I just couldn't. I mean I felt bad, but there's no way I could smile and hand over little treats or curios to my friends with such horrible memories on my mind!"

"Wow, Lenalee, that's pretty harsh." Lavi offered his practiced carefree smile.

"It wasn't  _that_  bad."

"Oh sure, Allen,  _you_  can say that since  _you_  weren't the one that got sick for six out of the 10 days we were there."

_She sounds indignant, but she's smiling at him… as usual…_

"No, you're right, I didn't. But at least your entire travel wardrobe wasn't either heavily speckled or completely drenched with mud."

_That sunny smile. He's egging her on… Gotta admit it's kind of funny actually—_

"See now how can you say it wasn't so bad, then, Allen?" Lavi watched the spirited young woman turn the boy a paradoxically bemused and withering glare.

"Because, Lenalee, there are no launderers in the entire wide world that are better than the ones here at the Order. It's like magic, what those sweet old ladies do. One day later, all my clothes are like new!"

"Oh, well that figures," she rolled her eyes in faux exasperation. "You know sometimes, Allen, you can be surprisingly self-centered."

"I am only human." He grinned. "By the way, how are you feeling now?"

"Fine. Why?"

"Good. Then the illness you had is all in the past. Next time you probably won't get sick as easily, either. That's what Master used to tell me, anyway," he smiled for a split second but then suddenly grimaced and shuddered at his next invading thought; "Of course, next thing I knew I'd be stuck— still sick, mind you— working off his gambling debts in a sweatshop with no toilet—"

 _And there IT is_.  _Why does that dazed and dreamy smile of hers have to make me so jealous? But even that weird new guy of hers doesn't get those special smiles as much as Allen. And he's so oblivious! I mean I'm glad, but I don't see how he can overlook the way she looks at him when—_

"Lavi, are you alright?"

_Uh oh. She sounds concerned._

"Yeah Lavi, you were miles away. You okay?"

"Guess I  _could_  use a little more fuel to run on," Lavi effected a suitably insouciant yawn, and got up to refill his tray. From a farther distance away than they thought, even across other food hall tables and with his back turned, he could hear the two murmuring in concerned tones for a minute before falling silent.  _Allen_  was reassuring Lenalee. Now why should this whole situation make him want to burst into tears? Ridiculous.

xox

"Allen, I have to go take care of some things for my brother, so keep an eye on Lavi for me, 'kay? I don't know what it is, but something's definitely bothering him."

"Sure thing. I'll do whatever I can."

Lenalee stood, gave a quick nod of thanks, and rushed away to return her tray.

Allen looked over his shoulder to Lavi, whose profile was visible where he stood at the cafeteria order window. He certainly did look preoccupied with something. But _what?_ Soon he witnessed the young Bookman's expression brighten considerably as Lenalee approached on the way to return her tray… and then worsen after her brief greeting and departure.

_Geez, he looks like a lost puppy…_

Allen was polishing off the last few courses of his meal by the time Lavi returned. Placing a tray loaded up with copious desserts in front of him, the redhead sighed and slid back into his place at the table.

_Whoa! He in training to be the next Skin Bolic or something?_

"Um… that's quite a sweet tooth you've got today, Lavi. Not enough coffee this morning?" Allen gently teased, his mouth watering ferociously all the while.

"Guess you could say my energy level's lower than usual." He glanced away a moment and without looking, dropped a tiny dessert spoon into his strawberry mousse in the most dejected manner Allen could have imagined possible for someone about to eat something so sure to be delicious. Lavi looked up and smiled a fraction of his usual careless, gleeful simper. "But I can't eat all this by myself. Would you like—"

Before Lavi could even finish speaking, Allen had two chocolate and one caramel éclair in his hands and was munching away happily; "Fank you, 'avi."

"Anytime," the redhead laughed, but Allen noticed he was also absently dragging his spoon around his dish; carving up the fluffy, deep pink dessert as if some fantastic treasure could be located at the bottom.

"Hey Lavi," Allen casually began as he went about the dainty selection of one custard-filled donut and a slice of carrot cake to double-fist. "If there's something wrong, you know I'm always happy to listen."

Lavi blushed a little. "Ridiculous amount of dishes I've brought over, huh? Thought I'd grab some desserts for the three of us but I wasn't sure what each of you would like. Anyways, Lenalee's  _gone_  now, so I'm glad you've got your famous appetite."

"I  _am_  a growing boy. If you're worried about your figure, we can always go do some training," Allen winked. "It's a great way to let off some steam."


	3. Reunion

Two hours later, Lavi and Allen met up in the large training gym. It was a rare opportunity, Allen thought, getting a chance to spar a little with Lavi. Usually, outside of missions, 'Bookman Jr.' was off doing Bookman stuff. So this would be a first. And he might also get to the bottom of whatever was eating at his tight-lipped friend. In addition, since most other exorcists were heading out on or still returning from their missions, the gym was quite empty that day.

Allen played nice for two rounds before employing some of his usual dirty tricks. Lavi fought well, so Allen saw no reason to hold back. On the fifth go, however, Lavi hadn't complained or teased Allen for his ongoing goads, cheating, and fakery. He hadn't even  _gossiped_ at all. Had he misjudged? Was Lavi just going through the motions?

"How are you doing there, Lavi? Give up yet?" Allen panted. As he waited for a response, he took a sip from a glass of water and used one end of a white hand towel hung over his shoulders to dab at his forehead a bit.

"Hey Allen," Lavi was looking at the ground as he spoke, apparently in thought. "Have you ever… uhh…"

"Have I ever what, Lavi?" Allen asked kindly, squatting down and looking up at the clearly troubled young man with the most encouraging smile he could muster.

"Well, ever been attracted to someone who isn't quite your type?"

"Not my… t- _type?"_  he croaked, shocked, before losing balance and falling backward onto his butt.

Kanda. Allen saw  _Kanda_. Heated looks, verbal fights, thrilling sparring sessions, clandestine caresses, fiery kisses, nights of passion… all with Kanda.  _Kanda_.

 _Kanda, Kanda, Kanda Yuu_ , whom he missed and needed and  _wanted_  so, so badly.

And yet all of this was their 'little' secret. Well, more like their  _enormous_  secret…

"Uhhh… errr… um…" Allen felt his entire face heating up.

Lavi laughed— a bright, full and genuine sound. Though still embarrassed, Allen figured getting so flustered must have been worth it. "I'll take it the crimson complexion and crackly voice are a  _yes?"_

"O-okay, you got me Lavi, yes. Yes I have." Allen offered a sheepish smile. "Obviously."

"Some reaction! She means a lot to you, huh?"

"Uh… I  _guess_  you could say that." Allen smirked a little, trying to hide his amusement at Kanda, of all people, being referred to as a  _'she.'_

"So d'you try anything with her? Were you dating? How'd it work out, since you're here now and all…  _or is she someone from the Order?"_  His face lit up— menacingly.

Allen nearly choked on a sip of water from his glass. After coughing for a while as Lavi snickered, he cleared his throat. "Lavi, what's this all about? Is there someone you're attracted to right  _now?_  Somebody on your mind?"

"Uhh… yes?" He looked a little more serious now.

"So what's wrong? Is she taken or something?"

"Y-yeah actually. She is," he mumbled, evidently upset again.

"Oh, I see— I'm sorry." Allen mentally chided himself for being so callous, a moment before. "Maybe when we both have some time off, we can go into town and—"

"It's just that it's so  _different_  with her. When I see her, it's not just  _'Strike!'_  like usual. It's more like… this urge to see her smile, hear her laugh… to learn  _more_  about her, to— to hold her hand and  _go_  places together…"

"Ouch. Sounds like you got it pretty bad."

"Yeah. I know," Lavi despaired.

Lavi looked down, apparently lost in thought. Meanwhile, Allen paled and turned aside as a shiver ran through his body. He quivered in fear at the sudden thought of what might happen if he tried to hold  _Kanda's_  hand in public.

Allen patted the miserable redhead's shoulder and smiled reassuringly, though he was feeling extremely ill-equipped to deal with the elder exorcist's girl troubles. "Um— Don't worry, Lavi. If it wasn't meant to be, someone even better will come along!"

"Yeah, I keep trying to tell myself that, but sometimes she offers me a mug of coffee in the morning, and I—" Like a kid caught doing something naughty, he stopped right there, green eye gone wide and a hand slapped over his mouth.

"Coffee?"  _Did he let that slip on purpose?_  "Wait, Lavi you're not talking about—"

_BANG!_

A tall, dark figure slammed the distant gym doors all the way open and stormed inside, looking ready to murder the first person he saw.

Allen Walker's heart skipped a beat.

oxo

He couldn't relax. He had to  _do_  something, or he was going to go crazy. And it was all that damn bean sprout's fault! It was little more than a near three-month habit now, but as soon as he was back from his trip and minimally settled into his room, Kanda was on his way to the large training room, paperwork be damned. He no longer had any expectations really, so when he stepped inside and found Walker there with his hand on that idiot rabbit's shoulder, he was momentarily shocked speechless.

"Yuu!"

Kanda glared; "I've told you not to call me—"

"Kanda!" The unreserved expression of joy that flashed across Walker's face just then went a long way toward clearing away the irrational cloud of jealousy he felt descending upon him. He didn't smile like  _that_  for just anyone. Kanda couldn't even stay genuinely angry at the young man. He just wanted… to  _touch_  him.  _Now_.

"Looking for a rematch, Moyashi?" he taunted, forgetting about the other's repeat abuse of his given name.

"Thought you'd never ask, BaKanda." The fond smile and flush to the silver-haired boy's cheeks already had Kanda's heart rate up.

From there, a strange little round robin ensued, of Walker's own devising. Kanda watched the other two as he warmed up, and could tell immediately— Walker was clearly letting the junior Bookman win, which meant Lavi would go up against him next. There was something decidedly off about that Baka-Usagi. Kanda would defeat him swiftly each time in order to go up against Walker next. Walker would then proceed to cheat his way to victory in order to go up against the dumb rabbit… only to clearly lose on purpose again.

Kanda didn't like it. A little of his earlier jealousy was seeping back into his bloodstream. He could feel the heat pumping its way through his veins. Swords locked, he grumbled to his opponent: "You're letting him win. Why?"

"He's kinda depressed. Give him a break." Walker murmured, then pushed backward before suddenly thrusting forward again.

" _Depressed?"_ Kanda scoffed as he dodged to let Walker pass by him (and to surreptitiously check out his boyfriend's ass before he could round back in on him again). "He can barely fight…"

Walker rolled his eyes. "Kanda, not everyone fights  _harder_  when they're down."

He then flipped backward and as he watched, Kanda's heart just about stopped. Walker's pants had slipped just to the bottom of his hipbone in midair. It looked like they might even slip a little lower—

Next thing he knew, in a brilliant flash of Crown Clown's cape, he was pinned to the mat, with one Allen Walker sitting on top of him. "Fuck. Why are you cheating so much? Can't the  _fake gentleman_  beat me fair and square?"

"Like you said, I'm letting him win, so it evens out doesn't it, BaKanda?" His eyes darted to his left and Kanda followed his gaze. Lavi seemed especially spaced out. Taking advantage of their fleeting moments of privacy, Walker leaned in low, planting his huge Innocence sword beside them to block the view on the off chance Lavi came back to reality too soon, and whispered directly into Kanda's ear, hot breath sending goosebumps down the nape of the more experienced swordsman's neck— "How long are you here this time?"

"Komui guaranteed me no missions for at least two weeks," he whispered back.

"Awesome. I volunteered to help Jeryy out in the kitchen, so I won't be getting sent anywhere for a while, either."

Kanda questioned the wisdom of allowing the gluttonous Walker access to the Order's food supply, but it didn't matter, really. In a few more rapidly exchanged whispers outside of the long-eared earshot of the red-haired bunny, the pair established they could finally,  _finally_  have another night together, that very evening.


	4. Kanda's Revenge

Allen was in heaven— no,  _Nirvana_ …

Well it was definitely  _paradise_ , anyway. He wasn't going to sweat those details. He was already sweating plenty, as it was. "Aahhhh… Kanda… Kanda… Ahhhh— Mmmm…"

"Fuck…" Kanda gasped, smirking. "So loud…"

"That's because you're— AAAhhhhh…" After briefly remoistening his lips,  _the_  Yuu Kanda had dived back down upon Allen once again. As Kanda coaxed him toward the point of no return, the young exorcist was reduced to pronouncing his monologue of pleasure in a series of high, supplicating whimpers and low, rhapsodic sighs.

It had been just so intense— continuously— since Allen quietly swept the young samurai into his room late that night and was instantly pinned against the inside of the door he'd just finished locking. (The man had arrived unseen thanks to Timcanpy's careful guidance.) Now clothes were strewn all over the floor, and Allen was involuntarily heaving upward with all his might as he climaxed into Kanda's ready mouth.

"Enjoyed that, huh?" Kanda prompted, rubbing the back of his hand against his lips with a distinct air of pride.

"Yesss…" Allen whispered emphatically, eyes closed and panting. He fell into his pillow with a soft  _whump_.In his hazy, scrambled mind, he heard his own voice repeating something over and over:  _View… eye… la—_

"My turn," Kanda not-so-subtly informed his thoroughly blissed-out partner.

Sated for the time being, Allen was all too happy to comply. Wordlessly, he shifted in behind Kanda, who was currently seated in the  _seiza_  position. Eager but painstakingly slow fingers lifted and draped his gorgeous curtain of long dark hair over his front. Two differently-textured palms glided back upward from pectorals up to shoulders, where they got straight to work, squeezing out lingering knots and tension.

From here, Allen had intended to ease his counterpart into a prone position, and then eventually supine, so he could knead the stress out of every square inch of Kanda's incredible body before moving on— but intentions went out the window as he took in his lover's reactions. The gentle pressure of palms over his chest briefly raised goosebumps on Kanda's back and elicited a sharp intake of breath. Everywhere Allen's fingers touched, tension melted away without effort. But most provocative of all, Kanda's low moans and the way he rolled his head to one side and the other in rapture; elegant, flowing black hair cascading along each side of his downturned head— these had Allen's heart leaping, as if to hasten the end of his body's refractory timeout.

Instead of an impromptu full body massage, Allen hugged his close colleague from behind, whispering hotly into his ear;  _"Kandaaa—"_  Proceeding to kiss a soft line downward from that ear, beyond the joint of the young man's jaw and straight down along his neck, Allen whispered into his skin; "You are so fucking  _sexy."_

When Kanda turned around to face Allen with flames of lust raging behind his eyes, the young Englishman was swept off his feet.  _Again._

oxo

"Mmmm… fiiiiinally…" Abrupt rises and falls in Walker's pitch produced an alluring esoteric melody, to the taller exorcist's ears. Allen Walker was 'The Musician,' after all. What better way to make music? Kanda couldn't think of a single one. Right now that 'Musician' was doing the conducting; bobbing and rocking to a soft but steady beat; ever-so-gradually picking up the tempo; occasionally arching back in ecstasy. "Mmm… you feel… so amazing."

"S'been… too long," Kanda breathed, quite overwhelmed himself from both the overpowering pleasure  _and_  the incredible view before his eyes. His richly hued, muscular frame supported and  _disappeared into_  the other's fair and well-toned physique. The two exorcists were joined, moving together, and this was _just the way it should be_ — Something he suspected he  _knew_  and  _expected_  from the first time he'd allowed the cursed boy's _skin_  to touch his own, on their first mission together.

With a far-too-tender expression on his face, Walker leaned forward, hand reaching out to cup a flushed cheek. Kanda lifted off the pillow to meet him, moaning into the long, slow kiss— a low growl signifying he was drowning in sensation. His eyes remained shut for a time as he reveled in euphoria.

When he eventually opened his eyes again, Kanda saw a panting Allen Walker with his head tilted back as he bounced and thrust his hips faster and faster, bearing down on Kanda's cock. The dark-haired Exorcist was awed by the divine vision of sensuality above him; a contradictory collection of smooth planes and sharp angles and ghostly white hair swaying hypnotically in the darkness. The bewitched Kanda propped up onto his elbows, driving himself upward repeatedly, in time with his lover's heady rhythm. One's needy grunts and the other's ragged breathing filled the air. It seemed neither would last much longer.

Well, it  _shouldn't_  have been long, but…

_Tap. Tap. Tap… Tap tap tap—_

The muted, hesitant rap of a single finger on the heavy wooden door to Allen's room. The thought crossed Kanda's mind that he could reciprocate with a single-digit gesture of his own.

+o+

Lavi, fearful of drawing anyone else's attention, thought about knocking again when he perceived a bed creak and a shocked  _"What the—"_ from inside, followed by the distinct  _clap!_  of a hand over a mouth.

" _ALLEN!"_  He whisper-shouted in the stillness of the night. "Aaaa-llen! Sorry, I know it's late, but— H-hey, you're up right? I can hear some shuffling around in there. Come on, please open up! I  _really_  need to talk."

oxo

So began the cacophony of tap-tap-tapping and pathetic begging.

"Come on, Allen-chan.  _Pleeeeease?"_

"Tch." Kanda collapsed back onto to the bed in defeat; arms spread out to each side, as his Moyashi slumped above him, sporting a decidedly ticked-off knit to his brow. As the mood for lovemaking was dying fast, Walker sighed and got up. Kanda walked his internal litany of curse words over to the restroom, snatching up his clothes along the way.

Walker buttoned on a shirt and released the deadlock to the door; opening it with the chain on. He leaned his upper body into view; legs and ass still bare and glistening behind the door. Kanda peered out from the bathroom door as Walker repeatedly attempted to politely shoo the distressed Bookman away with assurances they'd discuss his sleep-robbing "problem" in the morning.

Kanda expected his annoyance to turn to boredom until he was captivated by a particular tight, round, shiny rear end swinging slowly one way, and then the other, and back and forth, back and forth as its owner's impatience grew and he shifted to his right foot, and left, and then back; flagging (but still hard) cock pressed flush against the door as he rolled from one hip to the other and back.

 _That's one_ hell _of a way to fidget… Oh wait a minute—_

A demonic Kanda moved forward soundlessly, grinning to himself. It was finally time to exact his  _revenge!_

xox

"But I  _really_  don't think I can be of much help to you right now, Lavi.  _Really._ "

"It's alright if you just listen, tho—"

"Ah!" Allen yelped and nearly jumped when he felt an unexpected pair of hands sweeping along his hips. He covered for this with an awkward, late-coming chuckle. "Ah-hahahaha! Impossible, Lavi. See, I'm no good at listening when I'm tired. So the morning's probably—"

Lavi narrowed his striking green eye. "You seemed pretty energetic, just now, Allen."

"Oh?" Allen squeaked. "D-d-did I  _really?"_

The young Bookman heir grinned, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Need to take a leak or something?"

"I do feel the need to…  _relieve_  myself… you could say—"

Well out of sight of the redhead in the hall, Allen had felt errant palms gliding around to his backside. He unconsciously gripped the fingers of both his hands around the edge of the door for support as  _another_  set of fingers kneaded his cheeks suggestively— proverbial putty in Kanda's hands. Allen wrestled with the moan that verged on escaping him, biting down hard on his lower lip, and then clearing his throat loudly as it threatened to rise from within.

"Uhhhh… You alright, there?" Lavi raised an eyebrow in concerned curiosity. "You're looking kinda feverish, man."

"I'm just a little—" Allen paused mid-sentence, wide-eyed and breathless, as something  _very_  warm and  _very_  wet began to trail relentlessly along his thighs. He faked an exaggerated yawn to cover the shivers and jolts that were overtaking him and the whine of need he needed to suppress at all costs. It took all the willpower he had not to just slam the door shut on his friend and jump his impatient lover.  _"Delirious!_ …with lack of sleep. Mmm… m-my bed is calling meeee—" he forced a tortured laugh.

Awaiting his bewildered friend's response with bated breath, Allen's hold on the door tightened so much that his fingers literally sunk into the wood. At the same time slick, teasing fingers caressed his package and slipped into him while lips silently trailed along his ass and all the way down the backs of his quivering legs. Tears were beginning to come to Allen's eyes— betraying his iron-willed restraint.

"O-kaaaay… Maybe you  _do_  need some rest, Allen. Let's talk right after breakfast tomorrow, alright?"

"R-r-right…" he squawked, unsure whether Lavi truly failed to see through his paper-thin act, or just didn't want to embarrass him.

Door safely shut, Allen spun around to face a certain merciless samurai and immediately started shoving him backward quite roughly, as if to pick a fight.

"What the  _FUCK_ , you sneaky  _bastard!"_  he snapped in an angry, emphatic whisper to the entirely unfazed Kanda.

"You mad, Moyashi?" he mocked, sticking out his tongue as Allen had done in the cafeteria. Under different circumstances, Allen might have laughed his ass off at seeing  _Kanda_  of all people do such a thing. "You could've pushed me a—"

"Shut the  _fuck_  up!" The red-faced Allen snarled as he slammed the dark-eyed devil up against the room's opposite wall.

Kanda only laughed; "Make me, stupid Mo—"

Allen effectively ironed the unresisting Kanda flat against the wall with his body, mashing their lips together angrily. He rammed his rock-hard arousal into one of his partner's thighs. "You vicious fucking  _tease!_  Give it to me!  _NOW!"_

"Thought you'd never ask." In a single graceful twirl, Kanda now had Allen between him and the wall. One more whirl for Allen now had them back to front.

Without a word, Allen braced his hands against the wall, pushing up his hips to ease Kanda's entry. Soon the swordsman was back inside, thrusting furiously to keep up with frantic demands of  _"Faster, you prick!"_  and  _"Harder, damnit!"_

oxo

Not long later, Walker rolled up the balls of his feet and onto his toes, separating their interlaced fingers so he could claw at the wall as his long-awaited release finally came ripping through him in brilliant waves. Kanda's own intense orgasm, he would later inform the exhausted white-haired exorcist in bed, came tearing along due just as much to that arresting sight and the extraordinarily obscene string of profanities that left the younger man's lips right then as their frenzied pacing up to that point.

Score now acceptably settled, the pair cleaned up, curled up together, and it was  _Allen_  who was first to drift off; his head nestled comfortably into Kanda's upper arm. Kanda leaned in and softly kissed his cheek, over the curse mark. Gazing at his peacefully sleeping bedmate; combing fingers through the silvery hairs spilling over his right bicep and onto his pillow, he was certain he couldn't have seen anything so beautiful in his entire life. It wasn't so bad, this feeling. And not so bad feeling it for that  _bean sprout_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Hope you enjoyed chapter 4! Let me know? Please? Chapters might be a little farther apart from here on but your reviews will inspire me to write faster!
> 
>  **Next:** Some more Order hijinks and then onward with a new adventure. :)


	5. Lenalee Enlightened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Apologies for another slow-to-arrive update! m(_ _)m
> 
> I will probably add at least one more chapter to this fic (for now) before switching back to _Anniversaries,_ in case anyone was wondering.
> 
> Have a great weekend, all. I hope you'll let me know what you think of this chapter!

"I'm sure you can appreciate how incredibly distressing this has been for me," Lavi laughed while running a nervous hand through his red, red hair.

_278… 279… 280… 281…_

"I mean I guess it's my fault for not making my move sooner, but—"

_285… 286… 287…_

Lavi tilted his head, apparently considering his situation as he went on; "I mean I haven't confessed in so many words or whatever, but she's gotta know I care anyway, right? I mean girls are supposed to be good at just _noticing_ these things— _right?"_

_293… 294… 295…_

"Yeah I know, I know. Leave it to a _Bookman_ to be totally _cryptic_ , am I right?" More nervous laughter. "But I had to talk to somebody and know I can trust _you_ with this stuff, Allen."

_299…_ 300!

Allen Walker flipped back onto his feet after completing his handstand push-ups for the morning. He'd been vaguely aware of Lavi rambling about something since he arrived at Allen's door to wake him _(again!)_ , bearing the usual assortment of pre-breakfast sweets. Concentrating as he was on balance, pacing, and rep count (and prior to that, washing his face and brushing his teeth), he hadn't caught much of his supposedly secretive friend's constant flow of _words_. He'd _heard_ every one, but few registered since he simply wasn't _listening_. "Sorry, what?"

He observed a sheepish grin, unsettlingly unbecoming of the resident redheaded rabbit. "Just a lame joke. Probably better you didn't hear it."

Allen swiped the sweat off his brow with his forearm. It would clearly upset his friend to reveal the _full_ extent of his ignorance, so he would feign rapt attentiveness to the morning's ramblings. After all, it probably wasn't anything Lavi hadn't already moaned about _ad nauseam_ for the last few days.

He noted the apprentice Bookman scratching the back of his neck while a green eye darted off to one side, apparently in thought. "Hey Lavi, maybe you should get your mind off of this stuff for a while. Come walk with me?"

"Where we goin'?"

xoxo

She was _talking_.

It was fine at first. The two of them were seated alone in Kanda's favourite quiet room; backs to the rear wall, eyes closed, breathing rhythmic, senses expanding into every nuance of the present moment… until she _spoke_ again. Then suddenly, he was sitting in a small, bland room with a distressed teenage girl by his side, forced to consider persons and places and times that weren't _here_.

It wasn't that she wasn't _trying_ , Kanda reminded himself. She couldn't _help_ it. So each time he had settled into the blissful moment only to be prodded out of it again by the voice of one Lenalee Lee, he knew he couldn't truly blame her. He could only continue to sit there, remaining cross-legged and stoic as he waited it out.

Of course, just _knowing_ that wasn't enough to stop him from getting _extremely_ irritated.

"It's just that… if we could be _open_ about our relationship-thing and not have my brother sic some new robot on poor Raphy," _Raphy?_ Though his eyes remained closed, Kanda's right eyebrow arched upward at the inauspicious pet name. Lee wouldn't notice, since she sat to his left and probably wasn't even looking anyway. "I wouldn't have to worry about _other_ girls approaching him. But I mean _come on_ , it's not like there are all that many other women to compete with in this place. They could proposition almost any guy they wanted, really… So why _don't_ they?"

He was relieved to notice that she seemed to be asking _herself_ that last question. If he kept quiet, she would simply withdraw into her thoughts, letting him be. And yet— recent events had given him a unique perspective on the upkeep of one's _clandestine affairs._

" _Tch._ Maybe you shouldn't pay so much attention to _them."_ Kanda was aware his tone turned vaguely murderous upon mention of _'them,'_ but he really couldn't bring himself to care about anyone who'd had a part in upsetting Le— no, his _daily routine._

"The… other _girls_ , you mean?"

Kanda neither moved a muscle nor made a sound to correct her.

"So you're saying I should only be concerned about _him?"_

He remained silent as Lee pondered further along that train of thought.

"Yeah," she quietly concurred, "Yeah." A slight disturbance in the air indicated to him that she was nodding in agreement. "Thanks, Kanda."

He let out a noncommittal grunt even as he sensed the warmth of a smile at his left side. Resettling into his morning ritual as he felt that peaceful glow, Kanda was able to immerse himself deeper into his meditation than he'd thought would be possible that day. Almost imperceptibly, his own lips turned up at the corners.

oxox

Moving in silence, an anxious Lavi followed Allen down several flights of stairs, through the hall, and around the corner— to the last place he'd have expected.

_Maybe he thinks tormenting Yuu will cheer me up? Can't say he'd be_ wrong _about that…_

Lavi grinned to himself. Somewhat awed, he watched a brave young Moyashi dip his head in the door of Kanda Yuu's favourite quiet room. Honestly, the boy must have tipped his head into one too many lion's mouths during his circus days. And heck, maybe he even _missed_ it? Lavi sometimes suspected Allen of being a few kernels short of a bag of popcorn. Well, nothing for it but to keep out of sight and watch the fallout, courtesy of the ever-homicidal Yuu and one entertainingly suicidal Moyashi.

"Hey Kanda!"

Surprisingly, Lavi heard no response. Instead, he imagined, Yuu's eyes must have been flashing dangerously as he glared up a storm at the accursed disturber of his _peace_.

Allen's voice became strangely soft, yet goading: "To the far dead tree. From the training grounds. _Barefoot."_

"No cheating with your _innocence_ this time." Yuu accepted the vague challenge.

"Sure, sure, whatever you say. _BaKanda_. How about you, Lavi? Up for a morning sprint? Gets your mind off things. Works up an appetite too," the boy grinned devilishly.

Yuu snorted. "As if _you_ of all people need help with that, Moyashi."

"When will you get it through your thick skull that it's _ALLEN!"_

Lavi poked his head inside in time to catch Yuu rolling his eyes at little Bean Sprout. Then, seated in an identical cross-legged position to his left was…

"Ohhh, good morning Allen, Lavi," she yawned out while stretching her arms. He gasped in surprise. She looked so tranquil; violet eyes all heavy-lidded and a small, sweet smile. Just _angelic._

"Mornin', Lenalee," Lavi bowed, lifting an imaginary hat. She giggled.

"Good _morning,_ Lenalee! Wide awake now, are we?"

Allen and her bantered so effortlessly, Lavi couldn't decide whether to be jealous or _relieved_ at the utter absence of _any_ tension between them. Was she really entirely over that crush she's had on the kid for _ages_ now? _That Raphael guy is one lucky bastard._

Allen playfully teased Lenalee for apparently falling asleep. She tried to deny it but she was such a terrible liar, Lavi could plainly see her face reddening and dimples of embarrassment shaping her helpless eyebrows. It was all rather _fetching,_ really.

"So what's your answer already?" a gravelly voice tore through the redhead's trance. "We don't have all day here."

"Well, _Yuu_ , seeing as it's so early in the morning I'd say we _do_ have—"

A deep, threatening noise issued from Yuu's lips. "I've _said_ not to call me that…"

"Right, right. Whatever. So uhh… where's this 'far tree' exactly?" he asked with apprehension.

"You know that big lightning storm a week ago?" Allen queried excitedly. _Too_ excitedly.

Lavi could tell he wouldn't like where this was going, but all he could do was urge his borderline-demented young friend onward. "Yeah—?"

"Remember that fire in the low part of the east woods? _Everyone_ was talking about it," Allen's smile somehow grew even larger. "You _couldn't've_ missed it, Lavi!"

"But _that_ was—"

Kanda Yuu stared impatiently. Allen Walker beamed disturbingly.

Oh yes. It was now evident as the first signs of daybreak outside that young Master Walker definitely, _definitely_ had a screw loose. Yuu's sanity deficit was always as brutally direct and straightforward as everything else about him, but the _boy's_ lapses into madness, on the other hand, had a nasty way of sneaking up on you from behind.

"Allen, you're— you're not _joking?"_ Of course he wasn't.

His eye was met again with a pair of enthusiastic ones, and another pair appraising.

"The fire that left one section of the forest a sooty, splintery _mess?"_ Lavi just barely managed not to jump at Lenalee's dismayed outburst. (Between the deranged friends and unreturned affections, he realized, was feeling rather jittery. An idle portion of his formidable brain made a mental note to try switching from coffee to tea in the mornings.) "You want to race to the tree at the farthest end of that _disaster_ area? _With no shoes on!"_

Allen and Yuu turned their unified gaze at Lenalee now, eyebrows raised. Lavi glanced back and forth between their faces, nonplussed. Sometimes, if he didn't know better, he'd think the two of them had everyone fooled with their antagonistic rivalry schtick.

"Are you guys _insane?"_ Her expressive face looked as incredulous as he _felt_. (Except a whole lot cuter.)

A wrinkle appeared between Yuu's brows as he crossed his arms. Was he actually _sulking?_ "Tch. If you're _fast_ enough, none of the ash you kick up will even touch you."

"If you're _really_ fast, though" Allen taunted with a self-assured grin, "you can skirt that mess entirely and reach the mark from the other side."

Yuu turned a haughty glare on Allen now, his dark eyes narrowing. "But you only _need_ to do that if you're too _weak_ to risk inhaling a little soot."

"You really only _need_ to put up with ash and cinders on your feet if you're too _slow_ to cut around them."

Lavi watched in amusement as the pair of youthful, mentally unbalanced exorcists bickered on like some old married couple. He was therefore shocked breathless when Miss Lenalee Lee suddenly appeared beside him. Surely his heart was now racing fast enough to take him to the far end of _Europe_ before the other two could get anywhere near that _tree_ … "Come on, Lavi, you don't have to go with these twits. I've got a _much_ better idea."

So Lenalee took his arm and led him away from the oblivious, squabbling duo.


	6. Misunderstandings...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, faster update this time! ^_^

He was lounging about in the common area with the girl of his dreams. Birds were chattering and fluttering about by the window, from which visible rays of sunlight shone; atmospheric music playing all the while. So… Lavi _should_ have been happy.

But…

Dream Girl was distracted by a collection of young ladies who happened to have gathered around the glossy, white grand piano as it was being played by none other than her "secret" (to _Komui_ , at any rate) _boyfriend_. The male to female ratio in this place was shocking, and yet there they all were, gathered around _Raphael_ like he was The Last Man On Earth. The half-dozen sets of eyes directed toward the Finder-turned-Exorcist had Miss Lee understandably unnerved, but Lavi had to admit the guy really didn't seem to notice them all that much while playing. He was simply in his own world.

The young man's parasitic innocence— a small bird redder than Lavi's own hair— was playing with some ordinary birds just outside the window, rather than perching on her Accommodator like that _Strike!_ -hot lady general's parasitic pet. Meanwhile, Timcanpy had chosen _now_ of all times to all but surgically attach himself to the top of _Lavi's_ head.

It hurt his pride. But worst of all, it hurt his _heart_. The worst kind of hurt he'd ever known yet. A nameless torture. Because Lavi wasn't _jealous_. What kind of Bookman would he be if he _was?_

Lenalee sighed unhappily before finally turning to regard Lavi for a moment. He shot her his practiced disarming smile.

"Hey, Lavi…"

"Yeah?" He smiled in answer to his name. It was always nice to hear her voice it.

" _You're_ a guy—"

"That's… what I am," he deadpanned. "Always have been."

"So um…"

"What's that, Lenalee?" He smiled in encouragement.

"Do you—? Would you say—? Um…" Lavi could _see_ her steeling herself before going on and her apprehensiveness concerned him. Lenalee was one of the _bravest_ people he knew. What in the world could be fazing _her?_

Why did he have the feeling it had to do with _Magic Fingers_ over there?

"What's wrong, Lenalee?"

"You think, um… if a guy and a girl were dating... The guy might… lose interest in a girl after a while, if—"

_If… ?_

"If she didn't um…" she took a deep breath and proceeded while gazing down at the pair of hands being wrung in her lap. "If she couldn't offer… If she wasn't used to…"

_Does she mean—?_

"See, there are a lot of girls around who have uh… _a lot_ to offer…" she glanced to her side, watching for a moment as Raphael finished a song and began flipping through sheet music, blessedly oblivious to all the hair flipping and décolletage on display in his immediate vicinity. "…and some other girls might not be able to uhh… _do_ the same things…"

_Oh God, she does._

"No idea whatcha mean, Lenalee-chan," he played dumb, "but there's nothing another girl could offer that _you_ haven't got!"

He really meant that, actually.

"Thanks, that's so sweet of you to say, Lavi. But err… it's kind of hard to say this but…" she leaned over and whispered behind her hand: "What about if a girl isn't ready to… _p-put out…_ quite yet?"

But things evidently weren't awkward enough! _"Lenaleeee~"_

Of course it was just when dear Lenalee's face went bright red in embarrassment at her own question that Reever and Komui arrived to claim the customarily reserved table where they would resume their never-ending game of chess.

The two glanced to Komui and then looked back at each other in shock. Lavi realized far too late that they probably shouldn't have let Komui _see_ that.

_Fuck my life!_

xox

A nose behind, Walker was last to touch the crumbly, blackened tree trunk. Kanda watched him slump to his knees, examining the dark soot that transferred to his hands from the bark and panting as he uttered a soft curse. The guy had tried pretty hard, but there was no damn way he was going to win this! Not caring about a little bit of dirt on his bandaged torso, Kanda leaned heavily against the tree.

"You made… good use… of that handicap… I see…" Walker looked up at him, swiping his upper arm across his forehead to remove beads of sweat that had collected there.

"Tch! _Handicap?_ Don't… make me laugh, Moyashi. I saw you… leap up those cliffs… with your Innocence…" Kanda gloated, also slightly breathless. _"Dork."_

"Wha—?" Walker caught his breath. "Well I wasn't going to say anything, but it's not like I didn't spot you blasting through fallen trees with your underworld insects first! _Jerk._ "

"Since I knew _you_ were going to cheat," Kanda grumbled quietly, glancing away to appreciate barren hills of fascinating dead earth and scorched grass.

"Aww… you're _pouting_. How rare."

" _What?_ In your dreams, Moyashi."

"In my _dreams_ , you let your hair down," Allen began seductively, eyeing his partner up and down before suddenly pointing at him and shouting: _"Use my NAME damnit, Straight-Cut Fringe!"_

"Geezer-Hair." Kanda retorted, nonchalant.

"Soba-Breath," Walker answered sourly.

" _Dango-Junkie!"_

" _Silk fetishist!"_

" _Cross-dresser!"_

" _Sadomaso—_ Wait, what? Since when am I a cross-dresser?"

"Tch," Kanda smirked. "I _saw_ that battered old tin in your room. I'm not _stupid."_

"Huh?"

"The one with all the different coloured pencils and even _false eyelashes_ , of all things."

"Oh, you mean the—" For some reason, Walker bit his lip as if trying not to laugh, before breaking out into a huge and silly, but endearing grin. It wasn't one of those fake smiles he wore all day like, well, thick _make-up_. Instead of reaching that exact embarrassed shade of deep pink Kanda had unconsciously calculated his words should induce, his cheeks glowed with _delight_ and he was searching his accuser's expression— _gleefully?_ There was a disconcerting air of wonder in his voice as he continued: "You— You're really _serious_ , aren't you?"

"No point hiding it anymore, Moyashi. You've probably got frilly dresses and lace panties hiding away somewhere," Kanda added smugly, choosing to ignore the unexpected prior reaction and push even harder now.

"Uh huh… Bet you'd like to see me wearing that kinda stuff, huh, Kanda?" Walker teased, that alluring tone returning again to his voice.

"Well I didn't exactly ask you to go out and _buy_ the things, but—" his voice fell to a small murmur— "But I wouldn't… _mind_ it."

"Oh really? What did you have in mind, then? Shall I don an evening gown for you? Or maybe a maid's uniform?" Walker was twirling his hair in his fingers, still appearing entirely too happy about it.

"Y-you— Do you actually _have_ that kinda stuff?"

Having turned away from where Kanda was leaning, Walker began circling the tree, dragging his ungloved right hand along to trace its dead, brittle surface. His white hair and pale skin seemed to give off _light_ against the tree's impressive charcoal before he disappeared round the other side.

It had never occurred to Kanda to actually _imagine_ it before— _Allen_ dressing in drag. Now, however, he slid into a daydream…

 _Slowly, carefully he's pushing a satiny, deep-red hem up the reclining Allen's legs, letting the slinky fabric bunch unevenly above his fingers. Allen's eyes smolder, gently. He wears a confident smile, owning the dress without taking on the stereotypes associated with wearing one. The curtain continues to rise as Kanda closes in on this sensual spectacle. He reaches deep inside the fabric to_ touch _bare skin he can't yet see, and Allen's back arches off the bed, causing billowing cascades of lit and shadowed fabric to fall and drape downward, outlining that toned and muscled torso, and—_

Kanda was shaken abruptly out of his fantasy by an outburst of _snickering_.

"Hahaha— _Kanda!"_ Walker said fondly. "Sometimes you can be so _cute!"_

If it wasn't for the _eyes_ Bean Sprout was giving him, the brat would have been experiencing a world of hurt, right then. Still, Kanda shot him a warning look: _'Explain yourself,'_ it sternly said. ( _Very_ sternly.)

"Kanda, Kanda, Kanda," Bean Sprout smiled and spoke softly, caressing rigid features so that his facial musculature began to relax, if just a little. "Don't you know the difference between _cosmetics_ and _stage_ make-up? Women don't wear _white greasepaint_ …well unless they're _clowning!"_

"Tch. So then, what about the _eyelashes_ , Moyashi?" Kanda challenged, triumphant.

Yet somehow, he could tell he'd already lost this one.

" _White greasepaint,_ BaKanda. It renders my _own_ eyelashes practically invisible. Even a clown can look off with no lashes. And it's part of the _character_ anyway."

Kanda had one last question on his mind, but there was no need to speak, since he knew Walker would anticipate it.

"Wondering _why_ such things are in my room?" Walker's smile turned wistful. Kanda remained silent, an invitation for him to continue. "It's a memento. Of who and where I was in the past. Back before Cross. Back with _Mana_. And it's a reminder of my promise to keep moving forward."

Kanda kept watching as the smile directly before him became less sad and more sentimental.

It drew closer as well.

"They're the very first set of face paints I ever owned, you know. _Mana…_ gave them to me. I could never bring myself to finish up with that set and toss it out. I kept the whole lot of it all this time."

It mystified him, the way he could listen to Allen Walker babble on about his past— and never get annoyed or impatient for him to stop. Not that he'd _tell_. Actually, Kanda felt a growing desire to _touch_ him, just now. To _embrace_ that sunny, warm body. Just… to _hold_ that body against his own.

It had been a long time since Kanda felt like that around anyone; contentment at just _being_ together. He didn't know _why_ , but he didn't _need_ to, because this thing between him and the Bean Sprout was only ever going to be something _physical_. It was only about relieving _tension_. Finding _release_.

He was determined for it to stay that way.

Right on cue, Walker stood directly before him, capturing his gaze with unmistakeable bedroom eyes. Problem was there weren't any _walls_ around them, last he'd checked. (Or even greenery, for that matter.) Still, Walker's smoky eyes burned before he leaned in and let out a hot, needy whisper against his throat: _"Kaandaaaa…"_

At nothing more than that sultry summons, tingles of arousal coursed throughout Kanda's body. He closed his eyes, head angling back to revel in these sensations for a moment, despite himself.

"Fuck," He almost sighed. "We can't _do_ this here."

"As I recall, _someone_ didn't seem to have a problem starting something up out in the wilderness during our last mission together." A featherlight trail of tiny kisses climbed up Kanda's neck.

He rolled his eyes; "That was different. Someone might _see_ this time."

"They _won't."_ Hot, moist breath spread softly against Kanda's ear before he felt a sudden lick behind it, and an exploring hand on his ass. He concentrated on reinforcing the strength in his knees while Walker nipped and sucked at the top of the curved ridge into which he was speaking. "Trust me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always for reading. Please review?


	7. Safety Crouch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. So rather than at the beginning, I decided to put the trivia answers at the _end_ (along with their explanations). Cuz I made a mistake: The "insult" actually does come up in the anime, apparently. (Thanks to **spinninground** of FF.net for pointing that out!)
> 
> So this is your last chance to guess. For now, please (hopefully) enjoy chapter 7. ^_^

Allen had led his sulky samurai somewhere much greener and more 'private' —as far as can be said while still outdoors. Now, below the outcropping of rocks and dirt under which the two of them were secreted, Allen had backed Kanda toward the shadowy inner wall of the earthy alcove, and his hands pressed firmly into Kanda's rear so as to more effectively grind their hips together— slowly— as he kissed his Japanese lover senseless. If he were to look behind and to his right, he could appreciate the panoramic view of seemingly endless mist-covered treetops in the deep valley hidden far away in the distance below. But there was a much more breathtaking view directly before him, and nothing could take his eyes off it, at this moment.

Allen pressed his nose into the nape of Kanda's neck— inhaling _Kanda's_ scent from there and in the long dark hair spilling along the side of his face. Laced within that already enticing fragrance, however, he discovered the unexpected but not unpleasant aroma of smoke and charcoal. "Mmm… You smell _great_."

Kanda snorted, but didn't laugh when Allen licked along his clavicle, only gasping in approval. Allen loved the smoky barbecue flavour Kanda had today. It complemented his heady musk of sweat, heat, and intensity surprisingly well, and stood out deliciously from the bouquet of loose dirt, wet grass, and fresh dew in the surrounding air.

"I want… to _taste_ , more—"

Blushing as he realized what he'd just uttered aloud in his delirious ardour, Allen decided to bring the provocative taste back up to Kanda's lips. (It was the best way to head off whatever smart ass comment the guy was about to come out with.)

Judging by the fervour with which he soon returned that kiss, Allen became satisfied his snarky boyfriend was no longer in a state to be making fun. As if to confirm that thought, firm hands grabbed Allen's butt from behind in a mirroring gesture to Allen's own, grinding right back while teeth bit into Allen's neck at the same time. That'd be the man's unmistakeable way of demanding they _get on with it_.

"Ah, _Kanda!"_ Hypersensitive as he now was, just _that_ sort of gesture from Kanda was more than enough to make _Allen_ start to feel impatient as well. So he shoved Kanda flush against the rocky, earthy wall behind him and began a fresh assault on his chest, kissing and biting seemingly at random, but actually starting above the bandages Kanda wore as a brace and then dipping his lips into the occasional small gaps in the rough, tightly drawn wrapping. He dropped lower and lower, with his hands trailing above his head, still pressing Kanda back against the rock face as flat palms continued sliding down that firm, toned, tan chest, recording the contrast of flawless skin and rough cloth there with his touch.

As his hands were catching up to his face, Allen eyed the sight before him through heavy eyelids: the bulge at the fork of Kanda's legs that was for _him._ Steadying himself on his knees, he took hold of Kanda's trousers, loosening and sliding them down gently while Kanda himself inched his back down just a little lower against the rock. When his hardness was freed, he let out a low sigh that made Allen shiver with lust.

Then Allen took hold and proceeded to drive the man wild, if the tensed muscles, swinging hair, and angled back head above were any indication. "Oh _fuck_ … ahahhhh… _Allen_ …"

After the first few times the two had fallen into bed together, Allen became accustomed to hearing his name called by Kanda _only_ while in the throes of passion— and truth be told, he _loved_ it how his name had come to be reserved for only that purpose. But he had to keep up appearances! Especially with Kanda, knowing what he'd say if he found out just what it might _do_ to Allen now, if he heard Kanda call him by his given name at any _other_ time.

Allen moaned appreciatively around Kanda's cock, which had the long-haired exorcist tensing up, pushing slowly forward, deeper into Allen's mouth and readied throat. Allen continued his work expertly and without missing a beat, as used to shoving things in his mouth as he already was.

"Ahhh, God! _Allen!"_

With this, Allen could no longer wait. He sent one hand into his own pants and began stroking himself furiously, even as he worked his tongue along Kanda's erection. Soon, he whimpered and sighed in ecstasy, as both began approaching a rapid climax. Allen went first, calling out around his mouthful of Kanda so fiercely as he came that it wasn't much longer before he felt Kanda spilling into his mouth, thrusting slightly while gripping the wall at his sides for dear life as he braced himself for the ride.

After, a panting Kanda slipped wordlessly down the inner wall of soil and rock, eyes closed, and they sat side by side against it, catching their breath. Allen was certain he'd never felt such contentment before in his life. It was never quite like this with anyone else before. _Shit,_ he couldn't even get through blowing the guy without _touching_ himself!

Soon, Kanda indulged Allen's small series of sweet, grateful kisses; their heads slowly tilting this way and that. Kanda's kiss, too, seemed to unconsciously communicate things the man would never say. If Allen's spoke _'Thank you for letting me close to you,'_ Kanda's answered with a begrudging _'I'm glad you dared come near me.'_

To Allen there was— at least for him— something _else_ between the two of them. It was in how he admired Kanda's strength, his form, and his uncompromising honesty. How they'd _always_ understood each other in ways no one else at the Order could. They helped vent each other's stress. They fed, _gluttonously_ , off each other's energy. For the majority of their time spent together, they argued, brawled, or both; a good portion of the rest, they engaged in… similarly _strenuous_ activities…

Yet underneath all these vigorous antics and all the intensity between them, being with Kanda brought him _peace_.

oOo

Barely a minute had passed before the idyllic atmosphere was torn apart by the cry of a wounded animal in the distance. No wait, it was _human._ Still, Kanda thought, the voice's owner could pass for a moose in heat, or some shit like that.

" _Ooohhhh woe is me! My Eliaaaade!"_

 _Fuck, it's getting_ _closer!_

The tone-deaf serenade now came from near the grassy cliff directly above them. It didn't seem as though he'd noticed their presence at least by virtue of the fact they were hidden in a recess beneath him. All the same, Kanda kind of wanted make the presence of his _fists_ known to the fucking vampire's face.

But he'd rather not be _seen_ right now.

"Way to ruin the moment, Krory," Walker whispered quite faintly into Kanda's hair, sighing breathily.

Kanda's eyebrows furrowed in offence at Bean Sprout's vexed exhalations. He turned his head and glared a silent warning: _'Shut up, Bean Sprout!'_

"Precious _Eliade,_ " Krory sobbed on _._ Fine trails of soil and a few loose pebbles were falling by the opening to the boys' hidden cove. Kanda guessed he was at the very edge of the cliff right above them, the shuffling drag of his stiffly pacing feet causing a rain of dirt to fall. "How this grand forest reminds me of the day we met! Its splendour is as your great beauty. The flowers in the Order courtyard— how dearly I wish I could have shown them to you too, Eliade! But _akuma_ on the grounds of the _Black Order_ —"

As the clueless man rambled on unaware of his captive audience, Walker rolled his eyes, shooting Kanda a defeated-looking glance. He shrugged, communicating a resigned _'Guess we'll just have to bear with this for a while.'_ with a mischievous closed-mouth smile. Kanda wasn't feeling particularly happy about all this. Walker's eyes and playful smile remained trained on Kanda, but he could only raise two grumpy eyebrows back.

Then Allen started to rub his arms, in straight, but gentle and soothing motions along the outside. Kanda felt his tightened muscles begin to go lax. As hands shifted to press away the tension along his spine, he relaxed into those sensations. Maybe waiting here wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"Father never told me life in the outside world might be like _this!"_

xXx

Raphael was in the men's room. Having always been rather on the shy side, he had elected to use one of the old (but sanitary) wooden stalls, rather than a urinal. As he was just concluding his business there, however, he took a step he hadn't needed to for quite some time— until recently. He (literally) stepped onto the toilet, crouching down with feet on the seat, arms around his legs, and chin tucked into his knees.

It was strange of him to do, he knew. He'd long since given up the habit. Truthfully, he hadn't even _needed_ to in a long time… but then he became an _exorcist._ He'd led a satisfying, solitary (if somewhat lonely) life as a Finder. Then suddenly overnight, half the women in the Order were interested in him. (Literally, the night he'd come back with Lenalee and Miranda was all it took.)

He couldn't help it. Having been unexpectedly thrust into the role of one of the heroes of the Order, he'd been slung like a rubber band from a solitary (and lonely) life of supremely remote obscurity into untold fame and _scrutiny_. In order to recover the energy the crowd had leeched from him, he _needed_ to recharge for a few minutes. So he assumed the comforting ball shape, while enjoying the quiet of the restroom. The empty restroom. The empty, quiet, _peaceful_ , restroom.

Stillness and solitude.

_Calming thoughts… calming thoughts… like that last mission I did as a Finder. Wasn't that nice? Lenalee's sweet smile, and Miranda's surprising resourcefulness, and Allen's gentlemanly kindness, and Kanda's… um…_

_Maybe I'll stick with Lenalee's smile—_

But a loud _SLAM!_ interrupted the proceedings in Raphael's mind.

The restroom door banged open before returning squeakily on its hinges to its natural resting position. Heavy footfalls stomped across the room, echoing angrily off the tile mosaic floor. The door to the painted wood stall he was in rattled slightly in the wake of whoever had just stormed inside. But that person wouldn't know he was here while he was sitting in his 'Safety Crouch.' The draining attention from all those girls was bad enough but now even in the _toilet_ it was starting to sound scary.

A faucet squeaked on, and splashing sounds came from one of the sinks.

_BANG! …BANG! …BANG! Bang-bang-bang! BANG!_

Raphael ran nervous fingers through his chestnut hair.

_Oh god, now what? So loud…_

Loud noises continued to enter his range of hearing from just outside in the common area. Then came a blood-curdling _screech_. A man's voice? Though it sounded rather _un-_ manly just then— not that Raphael would _judge_ him for that, of course.

_Lavi, the apprentice Bookman?_

" _How did it get here so FAST?!"_ The young Bookman wailed in evident despair.

" _Damnit,_ Komui!" an angry voice bellowed from close by and Raphael nearly performed a small rabbit hop on the spot, he was so startled by the proximity of that shout.

 _Mr. Wenham?_ He's _the one at the sink? What on_ earth _is going on?_

"I _told_ you to stop making those damn robots! But do you listen to anything I say? Oh noooo, of _course_ not. Instead you've got to call your latest deranged _monstrosity_ at the slightest hint of someone showing interest in Lenalee— the poor girl. _'You can't keep doing this,'_ I said! _'Somebody might get killed,'_ I said! But did it make any difference? _Noooo_ … "

" _Brother~~,"_ Lenalee addressed the Branch Head using a sickly sweet voice that Raphael was recently warned the girl only used when _especially_ enraged.

" _Yes, Lenalee~chan?"_

" _WHAT is THAT?"_

" _My latest masterpiece:_ _'Lenalin I.' The spitting image of my darling little sister~_ "

" _Niii-san! How_ could _you!"_

" _I wanted it to be a surprise~~!"_ was the cheerful reply.

There was an eerie silence lasting an eternity of seconds, it seemed to Raphael.

" _Innocence, ACTIVATE!"_

Additional noisy crashing sounds issued from the common area.

" _Lenalee~~~ you don't_ like _it?"_

"And _every time I tried to make you see reason,_ you'd make me lose my concentration with your damned... _distractions_." Mr. Wenham had gotten so into his rant, Raphael suspected he could (literally) leave the stall and exit the restroom without him noticing, until he added in a pathetically small whine: _"Komuiiii_ … you can't just use _sex_ to get away with whatever you want…"

Raphael blanched at Mr. Wenham's unexpected revelation. Not that anyone could _see_.

_BANG! …BANG! …BANG!_

" _OH MY GOD,_ ANOTHER _ONE?! Save me, Panda-jiji!"_

Mr. Wenham let out a mighty sigh…

Raphael was going to need to stay in his Safety Crouch for a while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter 6 Trivia Answers**  
>  The insult was **"straight-cut fringe,"** which you can see used toward the end of the hilarious little omake at the end of chapter 85. (If this doesn't ring a bell, then go check it out, right now!)
> 
> The "unusual object," which I'd be surprised if anyone guessed, really (unless you noticed the scarcity of of _any_ named objects in the chapter), was the **"false eyelashes,"** from chapter 211 (p.9, the first panel, above where Allen's shouting at Kanda-- I randomly noticed **つけまつげ** written there, with an arrow pointing to the loose eyelashes falling down).
> 
> Tough questions, huh? But hey it was totally optional.
> 
> Anywho it would be nice to see more comments?
> 
>  **NEXT:** A bit more comedy, but things will start to get serious, when our favourite exorcists take on a new mission...


	8. She's Most Perceptive

 

 

Noise Marie awoke due to the vibrations of excited boots stomping toward his cabin. The train he was seated on was still reliably clacking along the tracks, so they clearly hadn't arrived yet at their destination. If he wasn't mistaken, these frantic footfalls were characteristic of the more hyperactive side of Lavi Bookman, but there was also another heart thumping giddily from above—

"Guys!"

" _What?"_ Kanda questioned irritably from Marie's left. Well.

"Have you guys seen Allen?" Lavi panted, breathless.

Honestly, Marie had never once _seen_ Allen Walker in his life. Nor Lavi Bookman, for that matter. Well, that he knew of. Not that he was _bitter_ about his loss of sight or anything, but he still noticed such unfortunate choices of wording. "Sorry, Lavi, I just woke up."

"Damn," the apprentice Bookman muttered distractedly. "Well how about Timcanpy?"

"Do you _see_ that thing flying around here?" Kanda asked menacingly.

A short distance away, Marie detected the pinching and twisting of clenched _(bitten?)_ textiles.

"Well, no, but—"

"Idiot _rabbit."_

"Now now Yuu, save the sweet talk for _later!"_ There was a chill in the air as Kanda grumbled his customary threats of bodily harm at the lively young man who dared use his given name, but Lavi paid him no heed. "Now, if you see Allen or Tim, you give me a holler, alright _darling?"_

Poor Kanda took an abrupt breath here and held it, apparently nonplussed. Marie guessed the prickly swordsman was confused as to which term of endearment should be more offensive to his sensibilities.

" _Lenalee-chan!"_ he called out an opened window in the adjacent corridor, _"No dice! And I doubt he'd be out_ there. _Come back inside and let's keep moving up the train!"_

Those agitated boots bounded off again, toward the most distant train cars. Lavi had behaved a little down lately, Marie reflected, but appeared to be recovering his usual manic levels of energy. Whatever had been bothering the deceptively complicated young man, Marie supposed, was no match for the inevitable lift in his spirits whenever it came time to depart from Order HQ. He wondered idly if the boy had ever considered the place _'Home.'_

But right now, Marie had a more pressing little mystery to solve. Tilting his head back, he spoke amicably toward the ceiling: "Hello, Allen."

" _H-hi!_ Um, if you don't mind—"

"Oh don't worry, he's long gone now," he answered agreeably. "All clear."

"Great. Thanks, Marie!" Allen sprang from just above the cabin door, touching down as quietly as he could.

"Loser, invoking your _innocence_ to get away from the _usagi,"_ Kanda taunted, interestingly without the typically large dose of borderline contempt in his voice.

"Right," Allen laughed, apparently unperturbed. "Well I'm sorry Kanda, I imagine I'm just not as skilled as you are at hiding from _ferocious_ bunny rabbits—"

"Watch it, Beansprout."

"It's _Allen, Bakanda!"_

"Boys!"

" _What?!"_ The two shot back with all the heated malice that Kanda was missing earlier.

"Can one of you tell me just what's going on here? Why were you hiding from Lavi, Allen?"

"Tch. Out with it, Beansprout."

"Yes _darling,"_ Allen sighed in exasperation. Kanda remained oddly silent. "Well, Marie, it seems— according to Lenalee— that something highly amusing happened with our dear friend Lavi, the other day. Okay, so maybe _she_ didn't think it was funny, but I—"

" _So?"_ Kanda was _trying_ to come off sounding disinterested, but Marie knew better. He suspected even Allen could tell that Kanda was just as curious as he was.

"Well, it just so happens that Tim _recorded_ all of it—"

oOo

Raphael reached the rear train car, finding neither hide nor hair of either Allen Walker or his unusual golem. He sympathized with Lavi of course, but when Lenalee asked him to help them search the train, he just _knew_ this would be a fruitless endeavour.

"Well, this is kinda pointless, isn't it?"

Imelda, a Finder he had only barely met once or twice before becoming an exorcist himself, wore a sardonic smile as she tried to make light of the situation.

"I mean, I don't want to sound _heartless_ , but there's really no way we're going to find him _now_ … is there?"

"No," Raphael answered abruptly, running fingers up into his backswept chestnut hair, and hanging his head. Harbouring feelings of defeat, he examined the busy pattern in the train aisle carpeting for a moment, before looking back up again. "At least, not in time to stop him from witnessing a replay of yesterday's spectacle. But—"

"I know. I _heard_ Miss Lenalee ask you. She obviously feels really guilty about letting that slip."

"It's not like she could help it though, really. It all started innocently enough, after all. Allen wondered how we all ended up on assignment together out of nowhere all of a sudden, and she ended up explaining the whole story and how her brother had ended up jumping to conclusions about Lavi and siccing _two_ robots after him. The point was she insisted her brother had to apologize to Lavi and demanded he show some _trust_ in her friends. Naturally, 'showing trust' ended up becoming a _mission_. You know come to think of it, _you_ walked in when she was nearly done explaining, but it looks like you caught on pretty quick, anyways. Here, let's return to first class, alright?"

Imelda nodded and smiled winningly at him as they started back toward the centre of the train. He was getting the impression she was _proud_ of something as her smooth dark skin stretched back to reveal a perfect set of teeth.

Raphael wasn't sure what had just made her so happy, so he returned her a polite— if somewhat confused and tentative— smile of his own and paid close attention to what she said next: "Well, I'll never forget that look on Master Allen's _face_ …"

"Huh? Oh, oh yes. _That_ face. He must have just realized Timcanpy was there to record it all… That special look of his is legendary— literally." He answered distractedly, still mystified as to what that strangely comforting energy was that the Finder was emitting.

"I'd _heard_ about it, but it was quite something to finally see it in person. The shadow over his features, the mischievous sparkle in his eyes—"

"That evil _grin_ …" Raphael added slyly, feeling emboldened.

"Yeah," she laughed, "I remember that. Amazing how he can go from being such a little Angel one moment to total little Devil, the next…"

"I haven't known him that long myself," Raphael conceded, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "But I've heard _so much_ from Lenalee."

"Right. I could tell she thinks very highly of him by her frustration and disappointment as Lavi got back and she realized Allen wasn't going to the toilet, but had run off to find that cute little golem of his—"

"Yeah. I suppose…. she does… think of him… highly." Raphael mumbled with a vague sadness.

"Oh, but—" Imelda seemed to panic slightly, "I can tell she likes _you_ a lot. You— you can tell because she's always _smiling_ at you, you know."

" _Really?"_ Raphael instantly regretted how hopeful he sounded right at that moment.

"Yeah, really." Imelda bestowed him a kind, endearing closed-mouth smile here before continuing; "I know we've only known each other a short time, but I pride myself on being a good judge of character— and you're a really nice guy, Raphael. No doubt about that. She's _so_ lucky to have you."

Raphael almost choked. He could feel himself flush slightly both at the compliment and because— "How did you know we—"

Now Imelda bowed her head a little and turned it to the side, smiling demurely out a window they happened to be passing by.

"Oh I can see it written all over your faces, you know, that the two of you are going out." Raphael's mind prepared to shoot into hyper-overdrive _terror_ at the thought of Lavi's earlier fate one day befalling him because they were apparently so _obvious_. "Don't worry, you're not the least bit obvious about it— not at all. I can just… sorta _tell."_

"Wha— _Really?"_ Raphael spluttered, literally astonished she just pretty much read his mind. "That's _amazing_. How… do you _do_ that, Imelda?"

"Dunno. It's just something I can _do,_ figuring people out like this. Probably something to do with my upbringing. Though at the same time I've never met anyone else either back home or anywhere else the Order's sent me that was as freakishly tuned into people's emotions as I am."

"It's literally _unbelievable_ , but hardly _freakish._ You're just… incredibly perceptive."

"Um… thanks." On flawless skin about the shade of cinnamon, a pinkish glow became perceptible in her cheeks.

"So uh…" Raphael was feeling bold again so, with a keen interest, he tried a new question: "You mentioned your upbringing…? Where did you grow up?"

"I—" However, as the pair were now entering the cluster of first class cars at the center of the train, familiar voices could be heard. More accurately, familiar _laughter_ became audible from beyond the joint of the first and second first class cars.

_Allen!_

_He was hiding in Kanda and Marie's compartment and all four of us missed it?_

In any case, the boy had to be completely blowing a gasket, laughing as hard as he was. Every gale of unrestrained giggles emptied the boy's lungs so forcefully, they left him audibly gasping for air. Meanwhile, other muffled but familiar sounds played back somewhere near him.

"—ANOTHER _ONE?! Save me, Panda-jiji!"_

" _Ahahaha— classic!"_

Imelda and Raphael found Lenalee and Lavi standing just outside the targeted cabin. Lavi stood with both hands over his face in apparent humiliation. Lenalee, clearly sympathetic and guilt-ridden, was rubbing his upper back to soothe him and murmuring words of reassurance.

" _Ouch, that sounded like it hurt—"_

" _Don't worry Marie, he's just fine."_

" _Tch. Of course he's 'just fine' if he's on a_ mission _, dumbass."_

He wasn't sure if Lenalee had caught sight of Imelda and him yet when her remorseful expression suddenly morphed one of into indignant rage. She found the wherewithal to throw open the sliding compartment door and give Allen a piece of her mind for being so insensitive. She moved on to berate Kanda (and even poor Marie) next, for encouraging the young man.

Lenalee wasn't doing anything wrong and he knew it, but Raphael couldn't resist the first pangs of jealousy upon witnessing the depth of her concern for Lavi Bookman's emotional wellbeing. Of course, the two of them _have_ known each other far longer—

“You know,” the Finder responded gently, “I bet she would react the same way on behalf of any one of us here. Wouldn’t she?”

Yes, that’s true, she _would_.

But…

_Would she get that fiery about it for just anyone? For_ me?

Raphael inwardly admonished himself— immediately. He really had to be less insecure. It helped that Imelda was so observant and empathetic. Before meeting her, if someone told him how well she could read people, he would have been put off from being around her at all, for fear of the inevitable imminent humiliation. But in reality, she was so friendly it hardly ever _occurred_ to him to be embarrassed.

_If she’s really as sensitive to others’ emotions as she claims, she probably can’t even help it._ The kindness in those warm brown eyes, he reminded himself, was also there for all to appreciate.


	9. The (Obvious) Revelation to Lavi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yah, another chapter within a couple of days of the last! :'D
> 
> NOTE: there'll be a couple of brief disclaimers at the end about _this_ chapter...
> 
> Also, for anyone who happened read **Chapter 8** as soon as I posted it, it's nothing huge but I reedited the last few paragraphs for better wording and added a couple of extra thoughts within a day of putting it up. Feel free to reread that part if you'd like to check the difference.
> 
> BTW I had thought to make this story about 10 chapters like _G &I_, and so cut stuff out where I could, but still, that is soooo... not happening now, with all that's still left to cover. OTL
> 
> (I'm hoping the fact you've read this far is a sign you're enjoying the story and might welcome some more chapters? That is, unless you like to hate-read fanfics... x_x; Please don't shoot me!)
> 
> Now that's over, enjoy!

_Not talking to them. Nope, no way, not happening._

Lenalee, Marie, Raphael, and Imelda were all lounging around upstairs, already washed up and now resting after their hard night battling akuma all over the French port town of Sète. Meanwhile, somehow, _Lavi_ had ended up soaking alone in the moodily candlelit bath facilities with, of all people at _this_ time of all times, _Allen and Yuu._

_Don't you talk to them, Lavi. Don't do it. Just mind your business._

The staff of their inn, already familiar with the Black Order and thankful for their work, had prepared their most luxurious rooms for the party of seven. Now they were even providing them with private bath time, so as not to be disturbed by other guests. As you'd've had to be a _freakishly_ heavy sleeper to miss all the chaos and uproar as the exorcists fought that evening, and seeing as some had even had their lives saved directly by the squad of super-powered youths, there was little resistance from others about this special treatment they were receiving. Native residents and fellow travellers alike were openly grateful.

Lavi could get used to that.

But then again, he had a _grudge_ to keep up here, damnit. It sure wasn't easy to pull it off, though. He still really _liked_ those two.

_Nope, nope, nope, not talking to them. Not doing it._

"I'm so _hungry_ …" Allen whined, sounding deceptively like an innocent (if ravenous) angel. Lavi was a little sad he'd have to miss the cute little pout the white-haired youth was undoubtedly wearing. What with his back being turned on them, and all.

"Tch. You already said that in the _sauna,"_ Yuu scoffed.

"Well I'm _still_ hungry, Kanda." Lavi wasn't looking, but he could _see_ Allen rolling his eyes at his eternal bickering buddy. _"Obviously_."

"Well I don't want to hear it anymore."

"You'll stop hearing it when I get to _eat_ something."

" _Obviously,"_ Yuu uncharacteristically mimicked back at Allen, possibly even imitating his expression. Fuck. Lavi wanted to _see_ that! "Then again, you're _always_ hungry, aren't you, _Beansprout."_

"It's Allen. _Allen!"_ Lavi imagined this accompanied by one of those special glares Allen had perfected and reserved just for Yuu. "Hey, it's not my fault most places don't let me eat a full meal."

"You mean _'eat them out of house and home.'"_

Allen simply sighed in exasperation, apparently no longer having the heart to reply. Knowing him, he must've been feeling some lingering guilt for needing to eat so much even when supplies of food were limited.

All the same, for the two of them, this was a relatively civil conversation. Lavi had a good guess as to why…

Normally those who didn't prefer to wash in the mornings would bathe right before dinner. But tonight, as a compromise to allow everyone ample bath time after the strenuous battle, they had all had dinner together right away.

Along with their late dinner (during which Lavi and Lenalee weren't speaking to those two— but he still _noticed_ things), the barmaids had allowed _all_ of them as much wine as they wanted. From past experience, Lavi knew it was extremely difficult to get Yuu even just a little _tipsy_. Meanwhile, Allen had boasted that thanks partially to his licentious master and the rest due to his demanding innocence, he was no lightweight, either. Still, Lavi expected him to at _least_ get a little hyper. Disappointingly, the boy had instead mellowed out— becoming somehow more relaxed, contented, or sated.

Then Lavi discovered that after getting a few drinks in him, Allen seemed to favour speaking with Yuu. Perhaps he and Lenalee were actively ignoring them, but Imelda, Marie, and Raphael weren't. Actually, he had to admit it _hurt_ a little to see Allen almost _exuberantly_ chatting with Yuu as if he didn't even care about the silent treatment.

 _Had to be the alcohol—_ even that typical edginess and excitability Allen usually displayed around Yuu had vanished.

It still wasn't back even now.

"Hey. Stop looking at me like that, Baka-Moyashi."

_Like what?_

Lavi was nearly lured into turning around to see just what kind of look Allen had turned on their testy friend.

"Okay, fine!" Allen shouted, oddly emotional. "Maybe I'll face _Lavi, stupid BaKanda!"_

"Don't you _dare_ look at—!" Yuu seemed to choke and catch himself right then.

Lavi raised the eyebrow above his vibrant green eye. _What the— ? What the hell?_

"You'll… regret it… if you _do_." He coughed, tardily remembering the situation they were in. "Because."

"Because _what?"_

_Oh shit._

"Ah-ha! Lavi's _talking_ to us, Kanda!" Allen crowed excitedly.

_Well, the hell with it._

Having broken his vow of silence, Lavi now turned around to observe the proceedings between the two young men in his company. At least _this_ view was much more interesting than rough stone walls— pretty though they were with pale candlelight washing over them.

"Obviously, genius," he rolled his eyes.

Allen clicked his tongue, irritated. "You _know_ what I mean."

"Whatever."

"Yeah, whatever. At least I'm not the one who's socially _retarded._ "

"Maybe not _socially_ —"

"Hold up there guys, you're not distracting me _that_ easily." Lavi turned around to get a good look at them. "What exactly is going on between you two?"

" _Nothing!"_ both stressed in panicked unison. As if choreographed, each turned away from the other at the same time, matching patches of redness forming on their cheeks.

Allen's profile was visible to Lavi from mid-torso upward, right hand at just the right height and position to squeeze the rim at his end of the bath, then tap nervously on the tiled floor alongside it. Allen was now looking anywhere but at the other two exorcists. He was just too cute to stay mad at, even knowing that crueler side still lurked beneath.

Yuu turned fully away from both Allen and Lavi, arms crossed impossibly tight; glistening muscles rippling with tension and staggered breaths. His long hair was tied up into a loose topknot, with extra flowing off to one side. Lavi had to admit the moody samurai was quite stunning to look at— especially under candlelight.

Hey, wait a minute…

"It couldn't be—" He watched the two of them go redder still— even Kanda flushing scarlet, to the tips of his ears. "Oh my god you two are _actually_ an item!"

"Shhh!" Wading back around, Allen turned fully back toward Lavi. His arms made waves as they shot straight out in front of him, imploring his friend to stop. "N-no we're, uh… it's not like _that._ "

"Oh, so you're not _lovers_ then?" Lavi teased, emphasizing 'lovers' just for the satisfaction of seeing Allen's complexion go even redder. Priceless. Especially after a certain someone's shenanigans on the train. Lavi was really relishing this.

There was a loud splash as Yuu spun back around. "I will flay you right where you stand if you breathe another _word_ , Usagi _._ "

"Oh my god it all makes so much sense… The _staring_ , the _fighting,_ the constant _heat!_ So that time when you told me Yuu was in your room to 'help you practice your swordsmanship' and to keep it a _'secret,'_ it was actually 'cause—" Lavi started, in awe. "Well I guess that wasn't exactly a _lie_ though, was it?"

Allen's hands were now covering his face. "Oh my god, oh my _god_ —"

"And that time when you were supposed to be helping in the cafeteria, Allen, but you spilled some sorta extravagant, gooey dessert all over Yuu. Then he threw his leftover soup broth at you, and suddenly you were both _gone_ — wow, that's so _kinky!"_

"For the last time, I'm _warning_ you, damn rabbit…"

"God, it's so _obvious_ now. I totally should've known you two would fall in love."

" _We are NOT in love!"_

"Umm. You _know_ how Kanda is, Lavi." Allen explained in a small, strained voice. He still wasn't able to make eye contact with anyone, but he at least had his hands off his face, and was beginning to calm back down a little. "How _oversensitive_ he is."

"Of course I'd be pissed if someone accused me of—"

"Oh come _on_ Kanda, let's just give it up already!" he snapped, actually sounding more than a little angry.

Instead of answering, Yuu just stared, shocked, mouth agape.

"It's pointless to keep this up _now._ And anyway, if there were anyone in the Order who wouldn't have a problem with— with… _us…_ it would be Lavi." He looked to his redheaded friend, attempting to hide his hopeful desperation with a brave front, but instead projecting that very desperation, plus uncertainty and distress. No poker face, no clown mask; only raw emotion. "Right… Lavi?"

He had never seen that kind of look in Allen's eyes before. Surprise, dismay, maybe intimidation… but never this— this _fear_. It almost broke the young Bookman's heart.

"We don't care what the Order's higher-ups think—"

"The Order can go to _Hell_ ," Yuu harrumphed, recrossing his arms.

"But my closest friends— I don't want to lose any of you… b-because we're _sick_ , b-because we like—" The British exorcist half-wailed, his eyes growing glossier by the second. Eyes closed, he took in a slow, calming breath before starting again, grey eyes now searching green: "Do you… hate us?"

"Guys," Lavi began, mustering as much earnestness and gravitas as he could manage, "Let me tell you something—"

Allen and Yuu both leaned forward, dead curious what he would say next.

"I'm gonna be _Bookman_. You know what that means? Not only do I cram all the history books in all the libraries you've ever seen, but I have to remember humanity's _secret_ history as well. I won't go into details but I _can_ tell you that many of the world's greatest, most talented individuals found themselves attracted to the same sex. And you know what? They could never 'cure' themselves of it. Not really. You know why? Because they weren't _'sick.'_ And neither are you." He paused there to watch his words sink in. "So have some faith in Lavi. Alright?"

Wearing a tiny relieved smile, Allen nodded his appreciation. "Thanks, Lavi."

"Breathe a _syllable_ to _anyone._ Just _try_ it." Yuu's teeth were gritted, his lips pulled back in a fang-baring sneer.

"Yuu… I'm _hurt,"_ Lavi half-teased. He actually _was_ somewhat bothered by that.

"I'll _show_ you 'hurt' if you don't stop calling me by my given name," Yuu grumbled.

"Like I said, I'm apprentice Bookman. Keeping secrets is kinda what we _do,_ " the redhead went on. "Besides, I don't think any of your other friends would particularly care that you guys like to fuck other guys anyway—"

At this, Allen went into an uncontrollable coughing fit before finally slumping and sinking deeper into the steaming water in humiliation. Yuu again turned to face away from the other two, opting to seethe quietly.

The one thing that really sucked about becoming Bookman one day, Lavi thought to himself, was that he couldn't give up his friends for the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End notes time! :3
> 
> Three things:
> 
>  **1.** There's actually an audio omake of the anime voice actors out there in which it's mentioned that Allen was forbidden to drink long ago by his Master, after the first time he'd tried it. (If you've listened to that omake, you know why.) Obviously I've deviated from that, but in my defence:  
>  (a) I don't think Hoshino had anything to do with that omake, and even if she did, it's not in the manga so it should hardly be considered canon; and  
> (b) they can't exactly have the 15-16 year old main character of a shounen be a big drinker. I trust that any of you who drink are **responsible** about it, so I'm not gonna censor my headcanon. :P
> 
>  **2.** Allen's "social retard" line, and Kanda's comeback struck me as being more-or-less in-character for them both, but I wouldn't call anyone a 'retard' myself and don't advocate it.
> 
>  **3.** I sooo... don't want to encourage the waste of food like Allen and Kanda appeared to be doing in the food fight memory Lavi brought up! I'd make those boys finish every last drop! XP


	10. Unrequited Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so last chapter, I did it again. orz
> 
> When I first posted it, I forgot to put something into the End Notes about Allen & alcohol. Later, I added that third end note in. (Nothing big, but those who want to see me defend my headcanon's departure from what happens in a certain audio omake, can go back and see.)
> 
> Regarding **this chapter** , it behooves me to point out that I've got two other languages going on up in here. Originally, I was going to leave much of it untranslated because I think the context and actions accompanying the French and Occitan dialogue would tell people what they need to know, but I decided to tone down my often ascetic writerly persona and throw everyone a bone... 
> 
> Translations in the narration.
> 
> I'd love if you all could let me know whether you think _every single translation_ necessary, or the sheer obviousness of it all renders it redundant.
> 
> Aaaaand on we go with my longest chapter yet (2600+ words)!

"Hey, _everybody—_!"

"Mmhmm?"

"Er— Lavi?"

"Yes Lavi?"

"What is it, Lavi?"

"What's up, Lavi?"

"Tch. Baka-usagi."

After the effective roll call of voices was complete, the dashingly eye-patched young man put on his winning friendly grin and spoke again to everyone gathered in the hotel suite, cocking his head toward the large Austrian male in their midst: "Marie wanted me to get everybody's attention because uhh… Guess _I'm_ the loudest."

Allen let out a full-throated laugh at that bit of conjecture.

_So the boys made up again last night. I'm so glad!_

Lenalee was immeasurably relieved to see them interacting openly like this again, and smiled fondly at them both.

Even Kanda was smirking in amusement from his place at the edge of his bed. His seated position— head resting on right hand; elbow balanced on knee— said a lot to Lenalee. While his right knee was drawn up near his chin; his left foot was loosely set on the floor. The minute signs of additional tension in his body at the previous night's dinner had left his posture entirely today. The hot bath and night's rest probably helped, post-battle, but there had to be more to it than that.

Allen had both knees drawn up to directly cradle his chin and was seated next to Kanda on the same bed, across from the one where she and Raphael had unconsciously seated themselves side-by-side. Unexpectedly recalling some things she'd been thinking about lately, to do with beds and secret boyfriends who just so happen to be sitting right next to her right this very moment, some colour came to her cheeks. Luckily it seemed everyone's attention was on the charismatic young man at the back wall, between the two beds.

"Anyways, we never really got to the _point_ of this meeting—"

Embarrassed looks and little exclamations of _"Oops!"_ and _"Oh yeah…"_ circled the room where they had all gathered for a post-breakfast planning session. Clearly, no one was really in the mood to talk seriously anymore, what with the akuma being _gone_ and all.

"—So go ahead, Marie."

The quiet-loving man smiled in his peaceful way toward the cheerful redhead, before rising reluctantly to take his place. Lavi now dropped to the floor to sit cross-legged next to the Finder Imelda, who grinned back as he flashed her a little victory thumbs-up. His gesture was evidently made to celebrate the minor accomplishment of getting everyone out of their side conversations and fully back on track.

Lenalee suspected that although she would have been just as effective at Lavi at restoring everyone's focus, she would likely have killed the lighthearted mood. It was useful to be stern and authoritative, but she did hate that side of herself, at times. Simultaneously, she admired Lavi's instincts for how and when to preserve atmosphere.

' _Nice!'_ The Finder carefully mouthed in silent praise, along with an upturned thumb of her own. It _was_ a nice moment to be a part of, Lenalee thought.

_Those two certainly get along well enough—_

"Thank you, Lavi," Marie nodded to his energetic helper and cleared his throat before continuing, soft-voiced as ever; "Everyone did a really great job protecting the town. In our scouting since then, neither Allen nor I has caught the slightest hint of any akuma activity. However, we still don't know what the _real_ cause of the ongoing attacks is…"

Marie cleared his throat, appearing uncomfortable to have to speak for so long at a time. But of the Exorcists in the room he had done the most detective work and so he undoubtedly felt obligated to share whatever information he'd gathered.

"Imelda here," he gestured slightly, toward the young woman seated on the floor between the two beds, "informs me that the previous party of Finders had passed the Innocence they discovered on, and yet instead of dispersing— or even following the Exorcists who had taken it into their possession— the remainder of that hoard of akuma regrouped to terrorize the citizens of Sète again— right on the day we arrived."

He cleared his throat again, absently rubbing it as if to calm his vocal cords. Lenalee caught sight of his disfigured hand; missing digits due to the cruel past efforts of the Earl's army of killing machines.

"So _why_ is that? After the other Exorcists left, the prior party of Finders, exhausted though they already were, did what was by all rights the most thorough search possible for signs of any further innocence-related activity. They did come up with one lead— and it sounds promising— but the scale of the onslaught we dealt with… just doesn't sit right with me. Dozens and dozens of akuma just for a single Innocence fragment? It just doesn't make any _sense."_

"Right," Lavi agreed, sounding somewhat pensive. Lenalee could tell he didn't actually have much to say, but it was truly rare to see Marie getting so worked up over anything, and it couldn't be good for his nerves, so she was glad for the tactical interruption. The mild-mannered man could surely use a breather. Lavi, she reflected, was always a little better than most guys are at reading others' states of mind. Yet despite that, he was not at all immune to saying things that were completely tactless; "It's almost like it was in Barcelona—"

Allen and Kanda, who were both listening quietly until now, both suddenly jolted into a heightened state of awareness. Pain and guilt flashed across Allen's face, if only for the most fleeting of instances, before he started staring at the wall somewhere behind Marie, whose head now bowed mournfully. Kanda took to turning his haughty, angry countenance toward another section of the wall, up near the room's ceiling.

_So many_ dead _in Barcelona— So many coffins— Kanda and Marie lost Daisya— I… Those days I worried so much— I thought I'd lose everyone precious to me! I can't ever let something like that happen again. I won't_ allow _it to happen—_

Lenalee felt a warm, steady hand on her upper arm. Though apparently perplexed, Raphael was nonetheless there for her. He wore a small, sympathetic smile as he gave that arm a supportive squeeze. While grateful, Lenalee felt her cheeks warming.

"Mr. Noise, I can take over from here. I'm the one who spoke directly to the other Finders, anyways, right?" All eyes turned to the young woman seated on the floor nearby, her legs folded up in front of her and arms hanging loosely over crossed shins. A kind, relaxed aura emanated from her as she smiled casually at Marie.

"By all means," he responded distractedly. Then suddenly finding the energy to sound relieved and appreciative, he continued: "And again, please just call me Marie—"

"Yes, thank you Mr. Marie," she answered, pushing up onto her feet.

Lenalee watched as Marie's thoughts diverted into what must have been a momentary debate over whether he should further encourage her to drop the _'Mr.'_ He gaped slightly for a second, before deciding better of it for now. Instead, he simply smiled accommodatingly and made way for her to take his place.

_Guess we've got another one around who's good at reading people…_

oOo

Allen was restless. It was late afternoon and his party had spent the better part of the day split into three groups, patrolling the town. Each sought the slightest sign of further akuma, to justify their continued presence. Granted, the port of Sète _was_ very pretty with its canals to the sea, and quays lined with brightly-painted rowboats— but something just didn't _feel_ right.

"Guys, imagine _living_ here," Lavi mused cheerfully as they walked along a corridor leading back to the nearest canal. With a palm-up wave of his arm, he continued; "All the beautiful scenery…"

"Romantic strolls and boat rides," Imelda contributed with a sigh, her cheeks taking on a pinkish tint.

"Delicious food," Allen tossed in ambivalently, for show.

"Fantastic wines…" Lavi went on, elbowing Allen's side. "That was some really _great_ wine last night—"

He didn't especially care to talk about such things right now, but Allen decided to bite anyway, if only for the sake of appearances. "As I recall—"

"Amazing you recall _anything_ after downing that many carafes—" Lavi interrupted and Imelda giggled.

Allen found the energy to respond indignantly: "Hey, it wasn't just me— I was _sharing_ those."

"Right, but only with _Yuu."_

Allen's heart pounded for a moment at the name. He had to fight off an embarrassed pout before clearing his throat and beginning again: "As I _recall,_ they weren't serving us anything special last night. Just typical _vin de pays._ Was generous of them to pour so many bottles out, and all, but I at least know enough to recognize a simple table wine when I taste one. Master Cross wouldn't have even—"

"Listen to our little _connoisseur!"_ Lavi cooed. Imelda covered her smile with one hand and looked aside. "Actually, my dear Beansprout, I got into talking wines with the head barman, and I guess I must've impressed 'im since he invited me over to the bar and poured me a glass of a special Bordeaux he was s'posed to be savin' up. Then he had me tasting all sortsa wines. I got Marie over for a half-carafe's worth— and Imelda here— I even managed to convince Lenalee to have a couple glasses… with _Raphael_ present, of course."

Allen didn't miss his transition to a stifled sigh and grit teeth after the preceding pause and starry-eyed look that briefly overcame the young Bookman at the mention of his crush's name. How awful it would be to have such strong feelings for someone, only for them to be entirely unrequited…

' _We are NOT in love!'_

The heated words echoed through Allen's mind. _Kanda didn't really mean that. He couldn't— I mean it's true we've never said the words, but—_

"I would have invited you both— but well, _you know."_

"It's… it's alright, Lavi. Water under the bridge, right?" Allen almost slapped a hand over his forehead at the pathetic unconscious pun— they were in fact nearing a small footbridge that crossed over the canal ahead. "In any case, _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing. I'm very sorry about it all, Lavi. It was rather insensitive of me to insist on viewing your err… 'humiliating robot encounter' like that—"

"Apology accepted. It's not like I don't do my best to embarrass _you_ on a daily basis—" Lavi laced his fingers behind his head, elbows in the air, and wandered ahead of them, stepping up onto the bridge first.

"This case, though, was a little extreme. In retrospect I was being an ass and I feel kind of awful about it."

"No worries," he leaned against the footbridge railing, looking down at the channel below. "See all that water under the bridge? Just look at it all, carryin' your cares away."

Allen couldn't help but roll his eyes at Lavi's wholehearted cheesiness. He was glad to be back in good standing with all of his friends, but then all the same, there was still that little something more bothering him. _Nagging_ at him.

" _Mamà! Exorcistes!"_

A well-dressed young mother and her two small children approached the bridge from the other side. All three smiled at the two Exorcists and one Finder before them. The three of them smiled back.

Playing modest, Lavi scratched the back of his head as they were greeted. Imelda seemed taken with how cute the little ones were. The trusting mother whispered a little something to the kids before allowing them run toward him and the others.

The boy tackled Allen first, and the girl shyly shook Lavi's hand, before running over to Imelda to hug her legs. _"Merci, Mademoiselle Exorciste!"_ —'Thank you, Miss Exorcist.'

" _Mamà, Lisette, regardatz! Pelblanc!"_ The boy pointed in awe at Allen's hair, his eyes sparkling with excitement. It wasn't very hard for Allen to figure out what he said in Occitan.

As he grew amusemed at the children's enthusiasm, a large grin spread on Allen's face. It brought him a certain type of contentment, whenever he got an awe-struck child's honest, nonjudgmental reaction to his unconventional appearance, rather than furtive staring and hushed voices behind his back.

When the young boy took to inspecting Lavi's eyepatch, Allen overheard Imelda speaking to the little girl: _"Mais moi, je… je n'suis pas… une Exorciste, chérie—"_ _'But me I… I'm… not an Exorcist, sweetie.'_ There was a note of melancholy in her voice that he'd never heard from her before.

_Hmm. That's odd. She's usually so laid back and carefree—_ he thought absently while hoisting the giggling boy up onto Lavi's ready shoulders.

" _Vraiment?"_ The little girl was clearly very skeptical; tiny eyebrows furrowed.

" _Oui, c'est vrai, p'tit chou,"_ she confirmed as pleasantly as she could, going on to explain she was a colleague of the Exorcists: _"Je suis un compagnon des Exorcistes."_

" _Mademoiselle, vous avez la peau brune, mais vous êtes très jolie."_ 'Miss, your skin is brown, but you're very pretty.' Allen's smile faltered with concern for the generally upbeat Finder's feelings.

" _Merci, ma chérie!"_ She simply smiled on at the well-intended semi-compliment and decided to change the subject again: _"Vous êtes de Languedoc? Parles-tu l'Occitan?"_

" _Oc!"_ The child squealed, all too happy to answer 'Yes!' in her native tongue.

Many in the region only spoke Occitan, but this well-to-do young mother apparently had larger plans for her kids. It was lucky for them, since out of all seven in their party, Lavi was the only one who had any understanding of the local language whatsoever, and even then, he wasn't exactly fluent.

The little boy on Lavi's shoulders merrily tugged away at Allen's hair from behind— spurred on by Lavi, naturally. _Kid, my hair's nothing special compared to Kanda's,_ Allen thought at the little boy in his head, smiling to himself dreamily. _Bet if this kid saw him, he'd say he looked like a girl. Then Kanda would get so mad…_

Soon, the mother dragged her children away, thanking the three of them for humouring her 'little treasures,' and expressing her gratitude for saving everyone's lives from 'those monsters.' Now, Allen could turn to Lavi to immediately remark: "You've gotten much more comfortable with strangers on the street, I see."

"No, I've just… come to believe in that eye of yours, Allen." He smiled sadly, single distant as if he were gazing into the past.

_Without my cursed eye, we'd have had to keep our distance from those adorable kids. That's what you taught me isn't it, Lavi? The life of an Exorcist…_

_Well, knowing Kanda, he wouldn't approach them either way. No ordinary akuma could ever kill him, but he still won't let himself closer to anyone than he absolutely has to be._

_Heh._ Allen let out a small puff of air— a tiny, rueful laugh at his own train of thought.

_So what_ are _we then, Kanda? What…_

Lavi appeared to have found some small stones and was handing them out to Imelda and Allen to toss into the water. He threw one, satisfied at the _plunk!_ sound it made. The channel was too deep to see their pebbles sink all the way to the bottom, but at least he could watch the ripples at the surface.

_It's like my eye, isn't it, Kanda— that healing ability of yours. It's another curse._

_Something's really hurt your heart, yet only the rest of your body ever_ heals.

"Hey guys, isn't that—" Allen's eyes immediately traced the direction toward which Imelda was pointing. Farther along the walkway on the opposite side of the bridge was a small, glittering speck of gold. The golem's reflection appeared over the rippling water as it continued lazily fluttering their way—

" _Timcanpy!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't recall Allen ever learning (until the NA Branch incident, of course) that Kanda's healing ability draws from his life force. At this point, he also knows nothing about Kanda's past. So the way I wrote his thoughts, it's up to you, but either Kanda mentioned to him offhand at some point that it's a "curse," or Allen sensed on his own, instinctively, that there was a price to pay for his miraculous healing powers.


	11. Another Curse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks since the last update. And I did the last chapter for the other story I was working on in between so hopefully that means more frequent updates? Hopefully. ^_^;
> 
> BTW things will get rather _steamy_ this chapter. Just a little heads up for ya... xD

After an endless afternoon of dull, uneventful patrolling, with Beansprout's freak of a golem zipping around between each of the three patrol groups, Kanda was relieved the sojourn in Sète was finally going to be coming to an _end_. And to that _end_ , he and Marie were meant to spend the night passing the carafes back and forth between them. Maybe he'd even let the man do some reminiscing. Staying here for a _fluke_ was a total waste of time. The akuma weren't coming back again. Six exorcists were present here that were _surely_ required elsewhere. There was supposed to be a proper _ending_ to all of this bullshit.

So why _wasn't_ it ending?

"Sorry Yuu, but you know we still have to follow up on that last lead an' it's—" For once, the Bookman-in-training seemed to know what was good for him— he stopped there due to the impressively horror-inspiring look Kanda just gave him. "Nevermind."

"Just get _on_ with it," he groused.

"He certainly had a sailor's mouth on him, didn't he?" Lenalee laughed, her back turned on the others as she spoke to Raphael. She was seated across the table opposite Lavi, who was at Kanda's right. "All _'putain!'_ this and _'femme maudite!'_ that…"

"WHAT? Did he call you a—"

"No, no Lavi, don't worry. He wasn't talking about _me_ when he said that stuff—"

"All the sailors that spoke to us called _her 'jolie chinoise,'_ actually…" Raphael chimed in somewhat proudly from the end of the table, to Lenalee's left. Then he quietly and bitterly added; "But _'Monsieur Lunettes'_ was what _he_ called me."

If even Kanda could tell he was just barely managing not to laugh, the rabbit couldn't have been trying all that hard to keep a straight face. He resisted the slight urge to raise an eyebrow at them both. No one needed to know Kanda noticed such things.

A warm hand fell upon Kanda's left thigh, and familiar lips drew near to whisper in his left ear. Walker was seated to that side of him at their table— a _booth_. " _'Femme maudite'_ means 'cursed woman,' and _'putain'_ means 'whore.' _'Monsieur Lunettes'_ would be 'Mr. Glasses,' which Lavi obviously finds amusing."

Leave it to Walker to use Kanda's limited knowledge of French as an excuse to sidle up close during a meeting. He'd have mentally rolled his eyes and left it at that, if it weren't for the fact Beansprout had begun absent-mindedly rubbing his inner thigh—

"Aw, Raphy, don't be upset. I think it's _cute_. He could have said a lot _worse_ , after all."

It had only been a couple of days and the brat was going nympho on him again. Of course, he also had needs of his own… and this sort of _contact_ wasn't exactly helping him keep it together. He was _almost_ half hard already, as his mind slipped into thoughts of _Allen_ whispering feverishly into his ear before biting that lobe; still more whispers between kisses trailed along his heated skin, while they—

_Fuck, Beansprout. Not now!_

With a warning look to his side, Kanda grabbed Walker's hand and lifted it off his lap, pushing it roughly back toward its owner under cover of the overhanging tabletop. The hand's owner shrunk back a little— but it was his own damn fault. It was neither the time nor place for this!

"—so basically, _someone's_ going to have to stay behind in Sète and _someone's_ got to go after her," Lenalee firmly stated.

'Her?!' _Did Kanda Yuu actually miss something_ important? _Damnit!_

"So we'll split into two groups?" The idiot rabbit asked _far_ too brightly.

Marie was next to speak up, from across the table at Kanda's left, opposite the Finder who was seated by Walker's other side: "I'll lead the search. If it's okay, I'd like Allen with me to help narrow things down in case I come up against any possible interference from akuma. I'd also like to take Kanda since there's a high chance of akuma involvement— possibly even _Noahs_ — and we're used to working with each other—"

"So that leaves Lavi, Raphy, and I." That's not bad. Lavi and I can easily cover a lot of ground between us, and Raphy will support us as needed. What about you, Imelda? There's a chance they might be going to uhh— I'm so sorry, _where_ was it you're originally from again?"

"That's okay Lenalee, but what little of my roots I can remember is best applied to the Horn of Africa— _Abyssinia_ — the northeast. My few fragments of knowledge won't be of as much use in West Africa. I'd suggest they depend on Luke for that, since he's spent time living in that region. Also, if I can, I'd like to support the rest of you here in Sète, since Allen will be leaving and I can at least usually identify akuma when they're in hiding as human beings."

"So it's true you can spot hidden akuma, Imelda? That's amazing!" Walker crowed, as if he wasn't able to do the same himself. "Raphael was telling me you—"

"Thanks, Allen," she kindly but firmly interrupted, "but my skill isn't _nearly_ as useful as your… curse… is at tracking akuma. I can only figure out if a _person_ is an akuma-in-hiding by checking facial expressions and body language."

"She's amazingly accurate though," Marie remarked, nodding approvingly. "She'll be a real asset to have with you."

"Really, it's not much," she looked down, genuinely abashed a moment, but then rapidly looked up again to scan everyone's eyes at the table, adding with conviction: "But I'd like to be as useful as I can."

Now they were getting _somewhere_. Even if Kanda still didn't know where the fuck that 'somewhere' was.

oOo

Allen had been worried. It wasn't on _purpose,_ what he'd done at their dinner meeting! But Kanda looked really pissed when he shoved his hand back. He realized now that he'd overstepped their boundaries, but it still kind of hurt to have Kanda push him away.

Thankfully, albeit in very disgruntled and grumbly tones, and in the endearingly halting pace indicative of Kanda-brand embarrassment, he had asked to be 'filled in' on their search mission, so Allen figured he couldn't be _too_ mad. It wasn't really like him to be missing mission details, but he wasn't about to complain _or_ make fun. In return, hopefully _Kanda_ wouldn't make fun (or call him a 'nympho' again) because he had just a liiiiitle bit of trouble keeping his hands to himself. Being around the object of his every desire for so much of the last few days without being able to do anything to… relieve tension… was like some kind of _torture._ Hopefully Kanda understood that.

"So we're just going along with what the _sailors_ say? Akuma only attack when _she_ comes to town?"

"Yes."

Kanda's eyebrows furrowed with heightened skepticism. "But there are no reports of this 'cursed woman' being present during akuma attacks wherever _else_ she goes?"

"Nope."

"Except this time the attack came when she _left—_ and now that she's back, there's been no attack for a day." Allen let those words hang in the air, unsure how to answer anymore. "Or so they say."

"Yeah, it's kinda… _mysterious_ like that," Allen scratched his head nervously and smiled in what he hoped to be a placating fashion. "She's only been a few hours out of town each time she leaves, but this time they claim she's travelling somewhere by boat."

"Sounds like a wild goose chase to me."

"Maybe," Marie interjected as he reentered the room, towel over his shoulders. "But there might be a golden egg in it for us as well. I have a feeling there will…"

Allen grinned at the room's latest entrant, but then wondered if the man would be able to notice. "Right. I think it's a pretty good lead, actually."

"Tch. You _would,_ Moyashi."

Allen's grin widened further, though he wasn't exactly sure why. "Marie, have you seen Lavi?"

"Oh he's still downstairs with the others. He seemed to be having a pretty good time chatting with the girls— but Raphael's there so don't worry, he's not about to try anything," Marie laughed, though still half-serious.

Allen frowned to himself in concern. _But how are you holding up now, Lavi?_

"Actually, as I was leaving, he said to pass on that he would just shower in the morning since his party will be staying in town anyway. —It's a bit of a shame, since it's really nice down there right now. Perfectly still and quiet— you know they still have the entire bath area reserved for us until morning bathing hours begin for all guests."

"So no Usagi in the showers _or_ baths tonight?"

Did Kanda almost sound _eager_ there?

"Afraid not."

"At least I can have a peaceful soak in the baths then…"

As Kanda began gathering his toiletries and towel, Allen eyed him longingly, biting his lip all the while. Kanda displayed no reaction at all. Not a smirk or a harsh look, no freezing in place, _nothing_. Allen's cruel mind supplied him with an unpleasant memory of the words spoken by a certain deep and velvety voice, the night before; _'Hey. Stop looking at me like that, Baka-Moyashi.'_

' _Stop looking at me like that,' he said. 'Stop looking at me like that, Baka-Moyashi.'_

_Goddamnit, Allen Walker! Stop being so paranoid!_

Allen decided he should really go check on Lavi, just in case…

oOo

…but Lavi insisted there was nothing to worry about, and hinted he had chosen to bathe in the morning for a _reason—_ before shooing a blushing Allen right away again.

Now, unclothed, he found himself entering the deserted shower area for a quick wash before hitting up the baths. After choosing one of the stalls at the far end of the centre aisle, Allen began to walk over. He paused briefly where Kanda's feet were visible below a curtain that was billowing slightly, releasing steam around the edges. Quickly peering through the gaps, he was able to ascertain the man was currently rinsing his hair. _God_ was he tempted to step inside that stall. As in _really_ tempted. Kanda probably wouldn't mind… but wait, what if he _did?_ What if it wasn't just the lack of privacy during their mission causing him to keep his distance?

Confused and frustrated, Allen completed his course to the far stall. Yet he had no sooner picked up a bar of soap and begun to reach for the tap than a firm hand took grasp of his wrist and yanked him back toward the stall he'd just passed up on entering.

"K-Kanda?" Allen was never happier to be so roughly slammed up against a wall. He could even deal with the verbal lack of response in favour of lips pressing up against his own. "Mmmmm…"

"What the _fuck_ took you so long?" Kanda hissed into his ear. A hand left one of Allen's shoulders to grasp and lead one of his own hands down to cup Kanda's very erect cock.

Allen could only moan into his neck in reply. He was rapidly becoming unbearably hard, himself, and they both had to do something about their shared state. Adjusting for height by standing on his toes, Allen brought their erections together, wrapping his softer right hand around them both. Kanda eased things a little by both bending his legs a little and bracing Allen's upper body just above his waist. It was still very awkward, but Allen didn't really care. He just needed release. Judging by how he'd started swaying— slightly fucking Allen's hand— Allen soon became confident Kanda needed the same.

Having decided Kanda's question was rhetorical, Allen slowly began to jerk them off. And damned if he didn't try, but Allen just couldn't shut up. Something about the intensity of this moment took such a hold of him that he couldn't stifle his cries of pleasure. He was gripped with a level of hypersensitivity that rendered him unable _not_ to exaggerate his response.

He expected Kanda to begin berating him at any moment, but instead came a soothing "Sssshhhh. It's okay, just _whisper_ to me, Allen."

Overjoyed at that unexpected tenderness, Allen kissed him hard enough right then that they nearly lost balance, but then switched to doing as he was told, sighing out a wanton _"Aaaahhh, Kanda…"_ before commencing to whisper: _"God yes, fuck yes, yes, yes—"_

Allen had no idea if Kanda could hear a single word of his lustful litany above the shower noise and his own heavy breathing, but he was hardly even thinking about what he was rambling anymore, himself. The point was that the trick worked like a charm— he wasn't crying out at all anymore, and his occasional uncontrolled moans vibrated unobtrusively against Kanda's lips with each well-timed kiss.

" _Oh yes, oh please, ahhhh… aaaaahhhh… Kanda."_

Climax drew maddeningly near…

"Mmmm, Alllennn—"

He pumped them both faster and faster and with another licentious sigh, Allen came _hard_ , hips thrust forward and head rolling back against the wall, mouth hanging open so bits of shower spray entered from every direction around Kanda's sides. He was still mumbling deliriously as he came down: _"I needed this, I needed you, I_ need _you, I…"_

_I love you._

…

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh... poor Allen's just come to realize something rather important, hasn't he? ^^;
> 
> Wondering where this might take them? And then there's that pesky mission too. Too bad, I'm not telling. :P
> 
> (Stay tuned for more, next chapter...)
> 
> ****THANK YOU to my REVIEWERS for your awesome words of encouragement and inspiration. I appreciate you all!****


	12. Girl Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took a little longer than I'd hoped, but here's chapter 12! I will get 13 finished as soon as I can so you can see more progress with Allen and Kanda. OTL

"Alllllennn~ _What are you dooo~ing heee~re?"_ Lavi sang— _concernedly_ — as the friendly young Exorcist emerged to join their table at the tavern. Imelda had thought for some time that Lavi was acting strangely today. It looked now like this might indeed be at least _partly_ to do with Allen, just as she suspected from their daytime patrol of the city.

"I just wanted to come check on you, Lavi. See if you— um, I mean your _group,_ is doing okay…?"

Allen and _Kanda,_ most likely.

She'd found an interesting pattern between those two boys, since spending time with them on the train. They exuded a frenetic sort of energy whenever in each other's _sight—_ especially noticeable when they weren't able to speak to each other, but still in each other's presence. That energy between them was constant… until they had to be _apart_.

It also fluctuated a lot, with variations for their unceasing light banter, heavy bickering, and 'impromptu spars,' as she liked to consider them. The silences between them were _electric_. Imelda has witnessed a few too many furtive glances from Allen when Kanda wasn't looking, as well as the way Kanda was trying a little _too_ hard to ignore Allen. Also, he _appeared_ to ignite with fury once Allen engaged him, but in his subtle way he only traded one sort of tension for _another_. It was just so… _obvious…_ that he escalated things from Allen's little jabs because he _wanted_ the attention, she occasionally wondered if there was something _else_ going on.

So it was quite _something_ to her, spotting Allen— in the corner of her eye— pressing up close to speak into his ear at their meeting, earlier that night. Allen's hardly shy, and Kanda's not _always_ antisocial, but the impression those two seem to _want_ to give off while around each other is that of antagonistic rivals. To Imelda, even before then, something was _off_ about the two of them— extraordinary conflict between outer behaviour and inner state of mind— but that clinched it for her, just what _nature_ of bond they shared.

Lenalee was beginning to pick up on it too. She'd actually confided in Imelda back on the train that she used to think she should break the boys' quarrels up, before she at some point figured out that they, in her words, were _'enjoying themselves.'_ She wasn't sure if the boys themselves realized it however, and knew that regardless of whether they did or not, they would be none too pleased if she dared bring it up.

Imelda used Lenalee's comments and reactions to help form a baseline of _usual_ behaviour for the boys, whom she hadn't met before this mission. (She had worked with Marie in the past, and believed him to be a kind man and excellent judge of character, but so very _enigmatic_.) Lenalee wore an odd perpetual smile around those two, which deepened as they interacted with each other. It spoke to Imelda of quizzical, yet genuine happiness for her friends.

"We're doing _wonderfully~_ aren't we, ladies?"

"Huh?" Only poor sweet Raphael was out of the loop.

"And _Raphy_ here, too—" Lavi turned to face the mild-mannered fledgling Exorcist, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We're having a _great_ time, aren't we _buddy?"_

Allen's face contorted with a bizarre mixture of amusement and concern before settling on his default smile. "Uh… erm… you're _sure,_ Lavi?"

Lenalee decided to chime in here: "Allen, we really _are_ quite okay. Is something up? Or actually, you're just _standing_ there… wouldn't you like to join us?"

"Thanks Lenalee, but I was thinking of taking a shower before retiring for the evening."

"Go for it, Bean Sprout. You and Yuu are lucky, having the baths _all to yourselves_ tonight~." There was a subtly cajoling tone to Lavi's voice that Imelda couldn't have missed if she tried. Even Lenalee giggled. "Marie told you I'd be going in the morning, right? Along with my buddy _Ra~pha~el_ here, of course~"

Lavi gave poor, innocent, adorably _reddening_ Raphael a squeeze now and Allen's smile turned _pained_ for a moment— _worried_.

_Ah ha. It's not_ just _Allen and Kanda on his mind! Lavi's hardly a snob. He shouldn't have any problems with a sweetheart like Raphael, anyway. Why such forced chumminess?_

"—and these two gorgeous _ladies!"_

Lenalee rolled her eyes, missing that although Lavi started with a lascivious grin aimed at _Imelda,_ his gaze passed rapidly over her blushing face to settle on Lenalee. As she slowly shook her now-lowered head, he scanned her entire body. Raphael, too, appeared oblivious to how the very same guy with an arm around him was checking out his girlfriend _even as he joked of_ bathing _with her!_

" _Lavi…"_ Lenalee warned; exasperated merely at his words.

Imelda reeled slightly from the sleazy humour, though not bothered _that_ much, for her part. Rather, she now had a better idea what _Allen_ was so concerned about, on Lavi's behalf. She hadn't missed any of it up till now, after all. Each highly _rare_ and very _brief_ , but incredibly _intense_ longing glance toward the other girl spoke of a copious melancholy that drowned out even his ample lust for others of the so-called 'fairer' sex.

"Shoo, Bean Sprout! Yer not gonna let Yuu _all alone,_ with the place _all to himself_ now, are ya?" Lavi grinned at Allen's faltering smile.

Lucky for Allen, Raphael had already squirmed out of Lavi's grasp, so he and Lenalee were in their own conversation by this point. (In which she gigglingly assured him that this is just how Lavi _is_ and not to worry, he didn't really _mean_ that.) So they didn't notice the deep flush to Allen's face now.

But Imelda _did._

"O-o-okay… _thanks, Lavi!"_ he exited hurriedly, and Imelda smirked to herself.

"What?" Lavi asked, now picking up on her scrutiny.

"Oh _nothing."_ Being sharper than he tends to let on, Lavi didn't seem convinced. "I think maybe Allen's jealous of that bath you're _apparently_ having with _us_ in the morning."

"I'll bet he _is,_ " he agreed pleasantly. "Too late _now!"_

Without trying, Imelda found minuscule gaps in the curtains Lavi had hastily pulled over his feelings. In his eyes, and pauses in his speech, she caught glimpses of that earlier show of melancholy— and _apprehension._ He was appraising her; interpreting what she _knew…_

He was very good at reading people when he wanted to, this junior Bookman.

"I regret to have inform you, Lavi dear, but you boys are on your own," Imelda informed him with a flirtatious hand on his shoulder— in hopes to loosen him up a bit.

He took that hand in his immediately, wearing a sultry smile as he answered haltingly: "What. A. _Shame."_

To someone like her, it was plain to see in his deadened eyes: his heart wasn't _in_ this performance. While Imelda had little interest in gossiping about _third_ parties, she had trouble leaving others alone if she could tell they were hurting.

Lavi was _hurting_ …

As the other two were still occupied, she chanced prying a little: "But I noticed Allen was so _concerned_ … Is everything _really_ alright with you?"

Upon finishing those words, she glanced pointedly toward the other two, simultaneously indicating that the two of them had some privacy for now, as well as that she had a very good idea just _what_ it was that Allen was so worried about.

"Oh my god, am I _that_ obvious?" he quietly panicked.

"Nah, only shows a little, I'd say. It's more of a… a _gift_ I have, being highly tuned-in to people's feelings." _More like a_ curse, _at times,_ she kept to herself. "Can't help it, really. If you want to talk, I'm happy to listen, you know. People tell me I'm a good listener."

"Yeah?" he replied, apparently surprised.

"Uh huh," she smiled reassuringly, hopeful she can help him even just a little bit.

oOoOo

Lenalee had been watching Allen and Kanda for some time, and just couldn't figure it out. "I swear those two are spending more and more time together. It's one of the world's greatest mysteries, how they can fight so much yet _bond_ so well!"

"At least _Lavi's_ been enjoying it," Imelda offered with a laugh.

"That _Lavi,"_ she sighed, kicking her bare legs slowly and experimentally under soothing hot bathwater. "I can't get over how he always…"

"How he always… _what?"_ Imelda prompted from her end of the grand communal bath. Both were seated so the water reached their necks, and she took her arm off the knee-high bath wall, letting her head sink back to rest directly on that flat, slick tiled surface instead. Cushioned by tight-coiled hair.

"You know—" Lenalee leaned forward conspiratorially, one elbow on the wall, "The way he was after _every woman in sight_ last night, as usual."

She leaned back again now, rolling her eyes for effect.

"Mmmhmm…" Imelda hummed contemplatively; even challengingly, it seemed. "Well it appeared that way but there _were_ other women there that he never talked to."

"There were some elderly women— outside of his professed age range— but that young serving girl— remember her?"

Imelda nodded.

"You're right he didn't say anything to her except to order drinks… but he was kinda checking her out a lot and giving her these big old smiles whenever she walked by."

"I suppose he was."

"And then there was the whole bathing with the _'ladies'_ thing, last night. I mean he was only joking but if he thought he had a chance he probably _would_ try to join us," she added cautiously.

"I imagine so," Imelda agreed, visibly amused.

"I'm glad you take it so well! I'm always afraid he's going to offend any new girls we meet while we're out on a job…"

"It's possible, yet I don't think he's unprepared for it," Imelda smiled reassuringly. "It doesn't bother _you_ , right? _I_ don't really mind it either."

" _Really?"_ Lenalee began excitedly, rewrapping the damp towel around her wet hair with great vigour. Was it possible there was another young woman at the Order who didn't care so much about whether she behaved like a proper _lady?_

"Nah. I mean sure he says some pretty outrageous things at times, and his eyes certainly wander a lot, but I don't see why I should let such things affect _me."_

_Oh my god, I_ love _this girl!_ Lenalee decided excitedly, thrilled to find a kindred spirit."Maybe it's a reaction to my brother's overprotectiveness, or my history with the Church and how they've tried to… _mould_ me… but you're right, it doesn't bother me."

"I can sort of relate. I was ripped from my birthplace as a small child— ended up growing up with some _very_ strict nuns, on a completely different continent. You grew up at the Order from a very young age too, right?"

"Yeah. I thought… that only happened to Exorcists, though. I mean it sounds like you're a talented and _highly_ valuable Finder, but why would they come get you when you were so _young?_ Did they know about—"

"I was an Exorcist once," she cut in, and Lenalee's jaw dropped. There was a great deal of pain swirling within the young woman's dark eyes. "Like you, I was discovered very young."

"You were…" Lenalee was at a loss on how to proceed now. Purely out of wide-eyed empathy, she could feel the burn of tears threatening to well up at the sudden change in the girl before her.

"My innocence was _'Silence.'_ Equip type. Its main feature allowed me to freeze most akuma in place."

Even as she soaked in steamy bathwater, Lenalee felt an abrupt chill. What sudden _emotionlessness_ to Imelda's words! She hadn't realized it before but the quiet Finder girl she'd known so far had radiated a great warmth and comforting air of approachability. Now, however, that person had gone _cold_ rather than face the painful memory of whatever horrific experience brought her career in exorcism to an end.

"I was training to increase range and effectiveness when sent out on the mission where I lost it."

"Oh no that's terrible!" Lenalee was wholly unable to think of an adequate reply, and felt doubly awful for it. "I'm so sorry."

"It was… because of my own pride. But I wasn't the one who—" She must have been on the verge of saying something very important to her, but stopped as another couple of women finally entered the baths.

" _Bonjour, mes filles,"_ a kindly-looking grandmother called out, ambling along with the assistance of a younger woman— perhaps her adult daughter.

"Sorry we 'ave interrupted you, zis morning," the woman spoke in French-accented English; smiling apologetically. " _Maman's_ art'ritis makes it difficult to choose 'er bath times."

Uncharacteristically for the girl Lenalee knew so far, Imelda froze momentarily, leaving Lenalee to answer for them both: "Ah no, no, it's fine. You're quite welcome here."

"Yes… please… carry on," Imelda agreed, her warmth already returning as she began to come back from her episode of traumatic reminiscence.

"Imelda," Lenalee began, seeking to change the subject now, "You said you don't mind Lavi ogling you, but what if he asked you out?"

"Huh? Oh well I guess I might try dating him once… but he's never going to ask _me."_

"Why do you say that? I think he really appreciates you. More than that serving girl, even."

"I'm flattered, Lenalee. But if you don't mind me saying so, I think you might be underestimating him."

"What makes you say that?"

"I hope you'll pardon me— you've known him longer than I have. It's just that the Don Juan act doesn't appear to me to be the _real_ Lavi. I think his true feelings run deeper. Their flow is more _constant_."

"More _constant?_ You're calling him _faithful?_ As in, to _one_ woman?"

"Yes. I am…" she smiled sadly.

Lenalee tilted her head in disbelief.

"And the woman in his heart isn't me."


	13. Card Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was totally on-schedule to get this chappy out a week after the last and then LIFE happened (again). So yeah... OTL
> 
> But guess what? I think this must be the longest chapter of anything I've ever written. I hope that makes up for the irregularity of chapter releases a little bit. There was a (humour) scene I'd meant to have in this chapter but it looks like it'll be starting off the next chapter instead!
> 
> Now, it's time for some tricky and subtly symbolic "card game" fun...
> 
> Enjoy! ^_^

"It's so _beautiful_ out today," Allen beamed, and Noise Marie could _hear_ his giddiness. The sun and only lightly humid breeze warmed his skin, too. So he couldn't help but smile to himself as he and Kanda walked side-by-side carrying their luggage ahead of Allen— sandwiched between Lavi and Lenalee— and Raphael and Imelda trailed behind at the rear.

" _Especially_ for autumn," Lenalee added from Allen's left.

"You said it, guys," Lavi chimed in happily from his right.

"Smells like dead fish out here."

"That's just the smell of the _ocean,_ Kanda," Marie answered, rolling his unseeing eyes with good humour. "And I thought you _liked_ dead fish… You _do,_ don't you?"

"I _eat_ them. Doesn't mean I want to smell their rotting _carcasses_ ," he groused back, but with hardly an edge to it. (If Marie didn't know better, he might hazard a guess that his old friend was in a _good mood!_ )

Sometimes, he thought, Kanda's identification as Japanese was a little less… _believable…_ than at other times. The mysterious young boy he'd met nine years ago had grown up content to allow others to believe being _'from Japan'_ meant he was born and raised there. Well… not _quite._

Anyway, it wasn't like _everyone_ in Japan loved the sea. But _still…_

"Where's our Finder supposed to be? On the boat?" Kanda demanded, impatient.

Imelda answered from two steps behind: "He said if he wasn't here, he'd meet you at the first ferry stop instead."

"That's even assuming our 'curse lady' is on the boat," Lavi commented.

"She definitely _paid_ for it, though." Lenalee replied. "Timcanpy should be able to tell us if she doesn't board."

"Well~ _that's_ settled then~!" Marie couldn't have been the only one noticing how ridiculously chipper Allen was, this morning. And it was _genuine_ happiness. Not his usual polite but _false_ cheer. "We'll have to get our stuff stowed soon but we've got some time to hang out by the docks for a while, don't we?"

"Why sure, _I'd_ say so, Allen." Marie confirmed. "Sounds like a plan."

"Tch."

Kanda was scoffing at Allen's upbeat attitude in openly good humour, Marie noted— not his usual feigned disgust. Lavi and Lenalee, meanwhile, soaked that sunshine right up.

"Hey Allen, you guys have too much stuff for us to keep walking around, and that Finder might still show up fer all we know, so how 'bout we just stay right here?" Lavi suggested, and pulled Allen down to have a seat on the ground.

"Alright," Allen answered agreeably. The boy, it appeared to Marie, was quite pliable right now. From what he could sense, he offered zero resistance to Lavi's hand guiding him down by the elbow.

"What'll we do? Are we just going to _talk?"_ Lenalee wondered, sounding a little _antsy._ She wasn't quite complaining, but Marie suspected she was probably eager to make some especially _novel_ memories before seeing half her party splinter off. "Oh I know— cards! Allen, I've heard so much about how you're really good at card games…?"

"You _could_ say that…" Allen grinned broadly to go with his mischievous tone of voice, and slipped a hand inside one of the folds of his coat—

"See, told ya he'd have cards on 'im! No worries about messin' up the luggage!"

"Actually, we don't really have time for poker— Or well, I like to get really errr… get _into_ the game and play more than a few rounds at a go, you see—"

"Yeah, _I'll_ say," Lavi scoffed to Lenalee in an undertone, inducing her to smirk a little.

"A- _hem!"_ Allen cleared his throat to regain their attention; "So how about _this_ instead…"

Four inquisitive heads tilted with curiosity as Allen reached for Imelda's warm-toned hand and took it gently in both of his white gloved ones. The young woman gasped playfully with her other hand over her mouth, playing up the moment. Raphael suddenly squeezed Lenalee's right hand, which he was holding for now in his left— a rarity in public for those two— and she squeezed back a little too. (They played it safe by hiding their joined hands in the gap under the singular pile of luggage.) Lenalee and Lavi both laughed in delight. Marie smiled softly. Kanda's lip curled.

"Might I ask your _assistance,_ my dear?" Allen crooned lightly, as if picking a beautiful stranger out of a crowd.

Imelda giggled a little, nodding her assent, but then sent a swift glance toward Kanda. Interestingly, the proud swordsman— the only one who remained standing at this point— had tensed up and was now crossing his arms tightly while Allen instructed his 'assistant' to choose a card from his fanned out deck. Kanda had turned to face three-quarters away, but looked back at the goings on often enough that despite the numerous competing reverberations of the immediate vicinity, Marie still noticed his constant frown.

Ever exuberant, Allen performed successive card tricks and sleight-of-hand to entertain their party. And it was indeed seeming more and more like a _party_ until…

" _Tch."_ Kanda stalked away in long, quick strides. Perhaps some form of in-joke was being made at his expense? Yet Marie hadn't detected anything of the sort in the entire time he'd observed everyone, this morning. Judging by his hurried pace, it seemed Kanda didn't want any company, so he couldn't exactly _ask,_ either _._

"Kanda?" Allen was between tricks, shuffling his deck, as he caught Kanda's rapid stride into the distance. There was a strange note of concern in his voice, but he added a hasty shrug to the confused furrowing of his brows. "Well um… let's see what else I can uhh… try next…"

Just then, Imelda unexpectedly shot up off the ground, patting an embarrassed and reddening Raphael's right shoulder in apology for nearly bowling him over.

"Where ya goin' Imelda? Chasin' after Yuu?"

"Just thought I'd see what Kanda's up to. I won't be long," she winked at the one-eyed Bookman apprentice. "Thanks, Allen. That was really fun!"

Marie always loved to hear Imelda speak. There was a calm, consistent, _sweet_ sincerity about her that he found very charming. Not until he met Miranda had he seen a more selfless young woman, as well. But with her short history as an Exorcist— and the nightmarish experiences that came with it— he doesn't blame her for keeping people at a slight distance. It's just a pity since she understands others so well.

oOo

Marie, and perhaps Raphael, were the only ones _not_ totally shocked when Imelda reappeared, smiling broadly in the midst of banter with none other than Kanda Yuu. But while not so shocked, he had to admit it was still _somewhat_ surprising.

"I _still_ don't believe you."

"Whatever."

"I think you should prove it."

"Says who?"

"Says _me_. I just said it, didn't I? So _prove_ it."

Marie had to laugh. Kanda hadn't ever bargained on there being a _girl_ around who might know how to handle him so expertly. Imelda had barely exchanged words with Kanda until now, yet she had already walked right into interacting with him in a manner vaguely reminiscent of Daisya's bravado or Allen's goading— but in her _serene_ way, devoid any threat of nastiness or violence.

That was Imelda for you, though. Marie and Lenalee had each taken their time quietly building Kanda's trust. Lavi's warmth has gradually worn away at Kanda's resistant nature. Imelda, however, simply watched how he got along with the others, understood how he respected inner strength, and worked out how best to reach him in a very short period of time.

It was a pity they'd be leaving her behind with the others.

"I don't have to prove any—"

"Oh yeah you _do_ , Yuu. Whatever it is you _better_ prove it 'cause now the rest of us aren't gonna let you _leave_ here until we know what the heck you two are talking about."

"Will you _stop calling me by my given name, Baka-Usagi!"_

"Glad to see you've cheered up again, Yuu. You looked kinda down, a minute ago. So got something to prove, have you?"

"He _says,"_ Imelda began skeptically, "He can tell how Allen does his tricks."

"Oh? Is that so, Kanda?" Lenalee inquired, covering her mouth to restrain her mirth.

"I actually really _would_ like to know how they all work."

"I can't share _all_ my secrets now, _Raphy."_ Poor Raphael fidgeted in embarrassment at Allen's playful use of Lenalee's pet name for him. He obviously wasn't used to being called that by anyone else. (Possibly, Marie speculated, not even by Lenalee herself?) "Tell you what: if _Kanda_ here can explain how I do any one of my final few tricks, you can take your pick of them all, and I'll show you how it works."

"Go for it, Yuu!" Lavi cheered, only for Kanda to snarl back at him to shut up.

To start, Allen somehow coaxed three coins from the begrudging Kanda's person. Each disappeared in turn, leaving Kanda several pence short of British currency, and still unable to guess _where_ they went or _how_ they vanished.

"Now then, I wonder if you can guess how they'll return, Kanda." Allen taunted.

Kanda griped that he was talking about _card tricks_ really, so Allen had him choose a card from his fanned-out deck, just as he'd done with Imelda.

"Now, my _lovely_ assistant will show the card to everyone but me."

"You better not be talking about _me,_ bean sprout."

Giggling, Imelda passed the card before everyone else's eyes, and very thoughtfully offered to whisper it to Marie. He politely refused, however, as he was seeking at least _some_ form of surprise by the end. (He had been able, up until now, to track where each of Allen's cards and props had slipped to, so he wanted to preserve what little mystery he could.) Allen had Kanda cut the deck, return the card, then cut the deck again. As he adroitly shuffled, Marie could tell the card in question had already been removed and stashed for later… along with some _others?_

"As you can see, I _didn't_ mean you, BaKanda, but don't worry, you're _quite_ 'lovely' yourself~" Allen winked… _flirtatiously?_

Even Marie couldn't stifle his laughter at _that_. (Though, unlike Lavi, he at least _tried_.) Fortunately, his muted chuckles were outdone by everyone else busting up right alongside him.

Kanda drew Mugen in anger; Allen readily blocked with his innocence arm, having hiked its sleeve up just in time. "Maybe I'll cut those sleeves off, _Moyashi_ , and we can see how you pull your stupid tricks off then."

_He'd be on the right track,_ Marie figured, _but that sleeve's got nothing in it…_

"Are you _serious?_ This is my _Exorcist_ uniform! …And it's _ALLEN!"_

"Tch. Like I care, _Baka-Moyashi_." He mocked haughtily and, with a flick of his sword, put a vertical slash into the fabric anyhow. Literally and figuratively, his _opening_ warning.

While everyone else gasped in horror (except for Lavi, who burst into renewed gales of laughter), Marie grew very curious as to why he just caught Allen surreptitiously stuffing something into that very sleeve. Kanda ran a deliberate finger along the inside of the slit he just created and, interestingly, was in fact able to procure a single playing card.

"B-BaKanda! How could you—" Allen appeared quite flustered.

"Ah ha! So this is where you—" he stopped abruptly as he turned the card over.

"Oh my word, the _Joker!_ What on earth was it doing in _there?_ Not your card though, was it?" Allen cooed, suddenly sounding cocky.

"No," Kanda scowled, catching on that Allen had tricked him. "It was _yours."_

A bit weak a comeback by Marie's estimation, yet Kanda sneered in momentary triumph as Allen shrugged innocently.

"No way, that one should be for _me!"_ Lavi cried, playing offended, then casually rested chin on hand and elbow on bent knee. "By the way Yuu, got something up _your_ sleeve?"

Kanda's left hand immediately flew to his own right sleeve now.

"Slice my clothing up _further,_ Kanda, just _try_ it…" Allen began softly, floating strangely faraway a moment before snapping back again to finish his warning; "…all you'll find is a uniform replacement bill from the _Order."_

Lavi laughed aloud again, probably at the tone of _invitation_ to Allen's words of caution. The boy really knew how to get under Kanda's skin, Marie mused.

Actually, no one _should_ have been able to trick Kanda in such a way, but somehow, Allen had managed to distract him enough to cut a retaliatory slit in his right sleeve, perhaps with one slim, spiked finger. Marie's attention had also been diverted, so he couldn't be sure _exactly_ what transpired. Lavi was an observant one, however, and hadn't missed it. Dumbfounded, Kanda felt along his own arm, discovering for himself another card there, which he drew out via the fresh cut in his _own_ uniform.

He growled gutturally at the turned over card, which no one else could see.

"Well, was it your card, then?" Allen prompted, smugger than ever.

"No," he grouched back, wearing that 'constipated' expression that amused General Tiedoll so much.

"Aw, well let's see it then," Imelda requested, taking the card from Kanda's stiffened arm. _"Queen of Hearts?"_

"Perhaps that's a better-suited card for you, BaKanda—"

"Not _Lenalee?"_ Raphael piped up.

Lavi's head turned sharply to face the newest Exorcist, who sat a short distance to his right, on Lenalee's other side. "Nah, this card's got _Yuu_ written all over it. 'Cause he's all _'Off with your head!'_ all the time."

Lavi drew a finger across his neck to represent his impending execution.

"I knew I couldn't be the _only_ one here who'd read those novels," Allen grinned.

"Lenalee, however," Lavi continued, turning more serious as he faced the girl now; "is Queen of _Diamonds_. She's precious to us all."

No one had any idea how to react to that until Lenalee blinked in surprise. Raphael appeared as if _he_ wanted to say something, before Kanda interrupted the odd moment: "So? Let's see it. Where's my card, _Moyashi?"_

"You're not going to cut open any more of my clothing are you?"

"Don't get your hopes up, bean sprout," Lavi laughed, as if that bizarre silence hadn't just happened. "Or actually, never mind, this is _Yuu_ we're talking about."

"Just get on with it."

"Right. Now _where_ could that card be?" Kanda rolled his eyes as Allen patted the ground to make a show of searching for the 'lost' card.

Soon he reached the nearby shadowed space under Kanda's crossed legs, from which he was able to pull two more cards, dragging them out slowly along the outside of Kanda's leg as he pulled his hand back. Marie found himself a little perplexed at Allen's method of getting a rise out of his rival, furrowing his brows in confusion as he listened.

"Ah, here we go."

"Did you just—"

"Okay, this'll be my _last_ try. Is one of _these_ cards yours, Kanda?" Allen prodded, slowly turning them over before Kanda's eyes.

" _No._ What kind of random card 'trick' _is_ this?"

"What cards are they, _this_ time? Lenalee pressed, gesturing impatiently. Allen angled them around for all to see. "Jack and King of Hearts?"

Lenalee and Raphael seemed perplexed, but Lavi smiled and explained; "Jack— or _Knave—_ is the lowest face card, and represents a servant to the King. He can also be an unscrupulous liar, or duplicitous scoundrel."

"The king looks like he's _killing_ himself with that sword," Raphael observed, alarmed.

"It might _look_ like that, but he'll be just _fine,"_ Allen assured him, chuckling darkly.

Imelda pointed at one card. "The 'K' on that one could be for _Kanda!"_

"But who's the _Jack_ supposed to be?" Raphael wondered aloud.

"Who indeed," Imelda agreed, raising her eyebrows at Allen.

"Hmm…" Allen hummed mysteriously. "Oh dear, it actually seems there's another card stuck to that one. Kanda— would you mind?"

"Tch." To Marie's surprise as well as Kanda's, he was able to pull another card away from the back of the Jack of Hearts. He guessed it had been carefully held in place all this time. "Oh you're fucking _kidding_ me…"

"Could it be…?" Marie was already marvelling… "Is that _his_ card?"

"Hold it up for us Kanda, and then you can proceed to explain that whole trick."

Fed up, Kanda tossed the card to the ground face up, so that everyone gasped in surprise. As everyone else began to cheer for Allen now, he crossed his arms angrily.

Despite the fanfare, Allen's lips flattened into a thin line. "It's… your card, right?"

Kanda only tightened his arms across his chest grumpily.

"That's it! Nice one, Allen."

"The _Ace of Hearts!"_

"I _knew_ he could do it!"

Allen's energy seemed to have dropped off a bit as he travelled their little circle, drawing each of Kanda's coins from an ear a nose and a pocket of the other spectators. When he turned back to Kanda to return the coins, the hotheaded samurai had calmed down a bit. He'd already picked up the Ace which had been lying on the ground since he tossed it there, trading the card to receive his few pence back.

"I'll figure out the trick," he said, voice low. "And just expose it later."

"I'd like to see that, Kanda," Allen murmured, smiling with renewed energy.

"Don't worry, then. You will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW anyone wondering about the sequel to _Love is Double Blind_ (the AU I did for Yullen Week 2012)? Well I have plans for that too. Don't think I can keep it T-rated though. Prolly heading into M-rated territory with that one... ^_^;


	14. Hiding On The Boat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so that 'humorous' scene I mentioned before? Fits better at the start of next chapter. (#^_^#) Not a big deal but I thought I'd say something in case anyone was wondering. I'm sure most of you have no idea what I'm talking about though, and that's totally fine. xD
> 
>  **A little heads up for this chapter:** The pattern I've settled into for this story is that if there's a jump in time/location, I separate sections with "oOo" but if there's a change of POV it's "oOoOo." Normally I don't believe in mentioning these things at all, because I trust readers to figure it out for themselves, but I suspect some people might get a bit confused by one particular transition here. While "oOoOo" _can_ include time passing or location changes, it does not necessarily mean either has happened!
> 
> Hope this preemptive explanation helps, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! ^_^

"Be good now, boys!" Lavi called out to Kanda, Marie, and Allen, as they got up to board their target's ship; "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"What _wouldn't_ you do, Lavi?" Allen sighed in _faux_ -exasperation.

"Nothing _I_ can think of," Kanda observed in a rare public show of agreement.

"That _hurts,_ guys!" He wore a ridiculous bubbly grin despite dramatically throwing both hands over his poor _'hurt'_ heart.

"Actually, let me just clarify a couple more things before we go, Lavi…" Marie approached to place a hand on Lavi's shoulder. It seemed he was a little… _nervous?_ Nervous about the party splitting up, all of a sudden.

_Strange for him_ , Allen thought.

Marie had checked up with every one of the four that were staying behind this morning, mainly at breakfast. After that he let himself relax for a while, yet now he had some additional last-minute words for their redheaded colleague. "Go on ahead, you two, I'll be there in just a minute."

Allen shrugged at everyone else, and hastily leapt into step next to Kanda …only to fall directly behind him again as all passengers queued up _single_ -file to present tickets and tote their bags up the narrow gangplank. Yet truthfully speaking, Allen was ecstatic just to be able to stay _near_ Kanda for the entirety of this mission… "Bye everyone! See you after the rest of this is all over!"

"Bye Allen!" Lenalee yelled immediately from a short distance to Lavi's right, where she was waving energetically, before slinging her other arm around the red-faced Raphael's waist. "Bye Kanda!"

"See you, Allen, Kanda." Imelda chimed in from Raphael's other side, extending a very casual half-salute, half-wave that somehow set Allen more at ease.

_Things will be okay here, right Imelda?_

"See you, guys," Raphael echoed, waving in a slow-oscillating manner apparently somewhat hypnotic to Imelda? Allen caught her _staring._ It was unexpected, yet vaguely amusing for him to notice, considering her usual polite yet care-free manner.

Lavi, meanwhile, nodded gravely as he listened to Marie. The topic must have been rather heavy for them to both miss out on the frivolous mood.

Allen dug his ticket out now, as Kanda's turn to board was coming and he would be next. Lifting his head from a rapid check over their brief itinerary, he put a foot forward only to crunch his nose into the taller Exorcist's back.

" _Ow!"_ Allen pouted, touching fingers to the reddening point of his nose. "What the—"

A hyperactive little boy had cut ahead of them, forcing the momentarily irritated, yet ultimately indifferent Kanda to stop and turn aside, a displeased scowl decorating his handsome visage. Short temper or not, battling a small child for his place in line was not quite Kanda's thing.

(Instead, Allen noted, he snarled out a particularly unimpressed _"Tch."_ )

" _Menina!"_ Allen heard the straw-haired boy calling as he scrambled onto the ship, empty-handed. _"Menina!"_

_That the name of someone he's with? Maybe she's holding his ticket and bags…_

Allen figured he had to be imagining it, but the kid's voice sounded familiar…

oOoOo

They'd been on the boat for maybe five minutes tops, yet Kanda was _already_ annoyed with the arrangement. Depending on whether that little blond brat was nearby. Something about that kid just pissed Kanda right off.

The little shit had been running back and forth along the ship while Kanda attempted to sit and wait (in _silence!_ ) for Marie to board the ship and join them. However, as quiet and solitude weren't easy to find on a wide-open, two-deck boat like this one, even Kanda knew that was a losing proposition from the start. So instead, he settled for standing by the railing and watching Marie intently. He'd give the man a minute or two to finish up with the _Usagi_ before dragging him aboard, himself.

That decision lasted until Allen Walkerarrived to stand next to him. Now, instead of carrying out that plan, Kanda turned to walk away.

During the card tricks a little while ago, Kanda realized he'd been _unsettled_ around Walker for some time now. The two had been spending more time around each other than ever lately— racing, sparring, eating meals, reviewing mission details— and he allowed himself that it… wasn't _bad._ Even when they did nothing but fight, there was a certain pleasure he took from their confrontations, challenges, and banter— and that energy build up was expended _well_ enough in bed. Problem was, Kanda increasingly found himself _wanting_ and _looking forward_ to times like these even _without_ the implied promise of a good rollicking fuck, later on. Just as long as _he_ was the one with _Moyashi's full attention…?_

_The fuck is_ that _all about?_

Kanda was bewildered by this new development, and really didn't want to ponder further on its implications. Understanding this much was already _much_ more than he needed. He didn't want to give these unnamable feelings a chance to return… or grow _stronger_.

The bean sprout caught his wrist with a _slap!_ before he could complete a second step. "Going somewhere, Kanda?"

Now his stomach was flopping all over itself just because of a hand on his arm?

God, it pissed him off.

oOoOo

" _What?"_ Kanda snapped irritably, looking back over his shoulder into Allen's peripheral vision.

Allen's gloved left hand squeezed the railing as he resisted the urge to look away from their friends and toward Kanda's face. Depending what expression resided there, he wasn't confident he could keep his own neutral.

_Did I do something to upset him?_

"Everyone… still wants to see us off, you know," Allen answered quietly, attempting to quell the pounding of his heart by sheer force of will. He felt Kanda glare at him in silence for a moment before he continued, mumbling, "I… don't expect you'd want to _wave_ back, or say goodbye, but… um… would you just _stay_ here?"

_What if—_

_Has he figured out that I've fallen in love with him? Is_ that _why he's so…?_

Kanda froze but did not _resist,_ so Allen went for broke, tugging him up by his side, where they could both look out and see the Sète Party smiling at them from the docks below. The pair still did not look at _each other,_ however.

As their hands were not visible to people not on the ship, Allen was loath to let go of Kanda's wrist. Somewhat absently, he let his hand slide down and grasp Kanda's fist. His gloved fingers stroked from Kanda's wrist down to his bare palm; opening and massaging his fingers until they loosed all tension. Allen's tight facial muscles relaxed as well. He could feel lines disappearing from his forehead.

This contact between them was obscured by the ferry's wall in front of them, and their own bodies behind, angled slightly away so they blocked most of the view unless one of them were to back away. Fortunately, Kanda was now too… _distracted_ … to do so. As Marie was still finishing up his chat with Lavi below, and they'd seen neither hide nor hair of their new Finder, there was no one else they knew on the ship, or who would notice, Allen figured. Just strangers claiming seats, or harmlessly milling about.

_If anyone catches this, they'll just see what they want to see anyway, right?_

Feeling stupidly elated now, Allen _still_ couldn't look to Kanda. His nonchalance would definitely crumble in view of friends under ten metres away. If it did, his eyes, red cheeks, probably even the curve of his smile would hint at how his thoughts kept straying to last night in the bath with Kanda… and in the _shower_ before that…

_Oh my god I need to get my mind off of this!_

Allen had been gazing out at his friends without actually _seeing_ them, so he took a moment to do just that. Raphael stood aside with hands in his pockets, looking _bored_ as an animated Lenalee gossiped into Imelda's ear. If it weren't for the hand cupped over her mouth Allen might have tried to read her lips. As she listened, Imelda nodded along until her eyes suddenly widened and she covered her own mouth in apparent surprise. Allen caught the vaguest hint of a smirk before she hid the bottom half of her face, the set of her honey brown eyes indicating a positive emotion of some sort.

Now the two of them were looking cautiously to Allen, so he waved at them again, as innocently as he could manage. The two waved back, giggling. _Odd._ It was nice to see how close the two of them were getting, considering how Lenalee had always endured without female companions. However, it almost looked like the two of them might be talking about _him!_ Impossible, Allen thought. There's no way they could have figured out him and Kanda… or even that they were _holding hands_ right now.

_Damn._ All of a sudden, Allen could feel himself blushing— but only just a _little_. Come to think of it, although it had only been a minute or so, it was a miracle Kanda hadn't protested this subtle yet _public_ touching. Maybe he was also—

"Wait, what was that _'femme maudite'_ description supposed to be again?"

"Aww Kanda, you remembered your _French!"_ Allen cooed, hiding his mild disappointment Kanda's train of thought was so far away from his. "Our so-called _'cursed lady'_ is short, with auburn hair, typically wearing a deep green coat and black boots. Are you—"

"Fuck, that _was_ her!"

_Oh. Of course,_ that _… was why Kanda was still just now._

_His mind is on the mission._

oOoOo

Trusting that Marie would make it onto the boat in time for departure, the pair followed the direction Kanda saw the woman heading. She had gone below, where less people would converge than on the upper deck with its unrestricted panoramic views.

The lower deck was smaller, and shadier— in more ways than one. There should have been at least a _few_ people gathered here. Since it was cooler and the air was still fresh as above deck, it was a good place to nap or get out of the sun for a while before reaching one's port. However, the long benches lining the place and rows of chairs in between somehow appeared totally empty…

_She disappeared?_ Kanda wondered, knitting his brows, _unsettled_ again.

"You're sure you saw her come in here, right Kanda?"

Kanda curtly nodded back, but it wasn't even really a question he was answering, Walker's voice was so bright and _trusting._ Innocuous. Like conversation. He may as well have been confirming the weather, or that his _uniform_ fit right.

_I cut his uniform,_ Kanda remembered, smiling to himself at the ridiculous memory. _Oh yeah, he got mine too…_

Walker, jumping in feet first as always, immediately began wandering the oblong room, his fingers skimming its every cranny. Kanda remained in place, scanning from the foot of the steps for the most likely place to hide. If she was hiding behind a pillar, bean sprout would be happening upon her shortly. Otherwise he'd check the most suspicious crevices or even crawl spaces on his own… but for an _old lady?_

"You, Exorcists. I am pleased. _You…_ have potential."

Kanda jumped a metre to his right, drawing Mugen at the sudden voice just by his left side. As if out of thin air, there she was. Black leather heeled ankle boots, fine emerald green coat, auburn hair in a neat bun, squinting in appraisal— eyes an almost unnaturally light greyish green; accented with soft crow's feet. She was too calm— expressionless— and entirely undisturbed by Kanda's fighting stance.

He and Walker glanced at each other from across the room. _Potential?_ Bean sprout looked dumbfounded; mouth agape, frozen in a kneeling position on the floor, where he had evidently _found_ something. Kanda returned his gaze to the woman now, backing away from her instinctively.

"Uh, g-ood _morning,_ ma'am!" Walker began unevenly. He picked a dark green item of some sort up off the floor and approached the stairway entrance near which the other two stood. "Is this your hat _,_ by any chance?"

_Not an akuma, or bean sprout would have reacted by now…_

What was it about this person that was causing every hair on his body to stand on end?

" _Kanda, put away your sword!"_ Walker hissed, scandalized. Next he laughed awkwardly, and flashed the lady that infuriatingly charming smile of his. "Please don't mind him."

"Tch." Though still bothered, Kanda found himself comfortable enough now to at least sheath Mugen, muttering under his breath; " _Baka Moyashi_."

Walker held the hat out as Kanda turned three quarters away from them, crossing his arms in protest while continuing to watch out of the corner of his eye. (Bean sprout had told him once that he looked 'petulant' at these times, but what did _he_ know!)

"Thank you," the eerie woman reached to take the frilly, fuzzy garment from Walker's outstretched hand. "This is indeed my own."

Something was falling slowly to the ground now. He craned his neck to see better.

_Feathers from that hat, huh._

Walker appeared to have frozen a moment with his arm out, but came back to himself. "Excuse me ma'am. May I ask: What was it you mentioned moment ago? About us having 'potential' or something?"

"Carry on as you have been, and you will see."

"Huh?" The blank-faced _Moyashi_ sagely inquired as she slowly replaced her _cloche_.

" _Menina!"_ A child not yet visible to Kanda, yet easily recognizable by his 'shriek-y' little kid voice, called down from the top of the stairs, then bounded downward, sounding off diminutive creaks and thumps as he descended the wooden steps. In moments, he emerged from the door and latched onto the woman's arm. "You met them!"

"Oh!" Walker started, pointing at the kid in apparent recognition; "I remember you! We met yesterday by the canals. Wait, did you just use _English?"_

"Ah, yes! Isn't it envious?" The middle-aged woman interjected, at once warm and doting and offering an indulgent smile. She wrapped her arms around the child's slim frame from behind, crossing wrists over his tiny chest in a protective embrace. "It's amazing how much one can accomplish at his age."

Kanda smirked to himself as the boy— by Kanda's estimation all of eight or nine years old— blushed in embarrassment.

"Thank you, Sir Exorcists! Yet _we_ must go!"

"Yes, you _must_ continue your lessons, dear!" The woman agreed eagerly.

Kanda turned to face the other three head on as Walker came out of the daze he'd just entered— and shot Kanda a quick alarmed look. "Wait, there's _more_ we'd like to—"

As if they were dealing with robust track athletes rather than a scrawny little boy and a wrinkly old woman, the two vanished up the steps in record time. It was only two long strides for Kanda to reach the stairway door, but when he looked up, he saw a whole other face looking down at him from the top.

"Guys! _Here_ you are. For some reason I couldn't hear you _anywhere_ until just now."

"Marie!" Walker answered; surprised and relieved.

Kanda nodded to acknowledge Marie, knowing he'd pick up on the movement easily enough. Their other team member was on the ship with them now, as well as the 'cursed' woman. There was still plenty of time to proceed with their investigation. The ship rocked indignantly as its engine was coaxed to life. They were about to get moving.


	15. Cat (& Dog) Out Of The Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Femslash February entries aside, it's been a while and I'm sorry for that. There are various reasons for this but I won't get into excuses. (Also, as you may notice, I've changed my username.)

Lavi's expression was as serious as it ever gets as he listened to Marie, nodding thoughtfully at times and even looking vaguely _determined,_ it seemed to Lenalee, as she watched from a distance.

"You think he's really alright though?" she murmured worriedly to Imelda out of the corner of her mouth.

Kanda's head, then his shoulders and upper body, appeared at the railing of the ferry.

"Lavi? Yeah, don't worry. I mean you're right that he's been a little… _off…_ this morning, but I think he'll be just fine. Really." Imelda smiled, encouraging.

Lenalee looked again to Lavi, who had been pulled into a rather serious-looking side conversation by Marie earlier. Had to be at least five minutes of that already.

_More warnings, I guess. Wonder why he's still so worried…?_

It felt like Allen and Kanda had boarded _ages_ ago.

"Wait— _'he'll be,'_ you said. Sooo… you don't think he's _'fine'_ right now?"

Imelda smiled enigmatically as she turned to observe the subject of their conversation. "Right now, I expect he's all wrapped up in Marie's cautions about further akuma possibly arriving."

_Is she evading my question?_

"Well will you look at that," Imelda tilted her head toward the boat, eyebrows arching as well. "Kanda's staring at Marie so hard, he could spontaneously combust!"

Lenalee wasn't quite reassured, yet still couldn't help smirking slightly at Kanda's constipated glare. It almost seemed as if he thought the only reason the boat hadn't left was because Marie hadn't joined them yet.

"It's like he thinks Marie is the reason the boat hasn't left yet."

"Oh my God Imelda, you just totally read my mind."

"Really?" she laughed. "It hasn't happened so much these past few days because I'm on a mission full of people I've just met, but I usually get that a _lot."_

"Oh… I can see that." Lenalee had a wild thought just then. "Hey what about Lavi?"

"What about Lavi what?"

"I guess I should say— I've noticed he's been kind of… down… lately— I mean _in general_ and not just this morning. I don't know what it could be about, except that I have a feeling it's more complicated than the kind of thing Bookman would lecture him about."

"I suppose so. What makes you feel he's upset?"

"I don't know. Maybe because he's smiling less genuinely than usual, for one. Or the train ride when he was kind of quiet and sullen— well at least," she amended, speaking quickly; "as far as _Lavi_ usually is, he tends to be pretty _hyper,_ so 'sullen' in _comparison_ —he was like that until we found out what Allen had gotten up to with Timcanpy. And even _then_ it was _me_ who got angry and Lavi just _went along with it._ Then with that bartender he was all… _wistful._ He doesn't wear sad smiles like that very often, but when he _does_ … well I know it's not good."

She felt lame describing things like that, but still, it was okay. Imelda would still get it. She wasn't your usual Finder. Lenalee was still shocked she never knew one of the Finders was actually an Exorcist once. And they'd forced exorcism on _her_ too. Imelda would understand it's not just his sadness that's bothering her, but its persistence.

"You're worried about him?"

"Well yeah…"

Lenalee glanced over at Lavi again now and discovered that he clearly wasn't focusing on Marie anymore, absently nodding his head from time to time while staring vacantly toward Imelda and her. They were standing side by side after all. (Raphy, his little bird, and Timcanpy were in the middle.)

_Really now, how can Imelda miss the way he keeps looking at her like that?_

Just then, Lenalee accidentally made eye contact with him. His eyes widened then, and he snapped back to regarding Marie.

_Lavi…? Hold on, since when does_ he _care if people catch him looking?_

"Oops," Imelda chuckled, sounding oddly fond.

"Hey Imelda, why do you think Lav—" She didn't finish her sentence, as she realized just who had the other girl's attention. "Huh?"

"I guess you didn't see that? Tim and B'rain were racing and from what I could tell, Raphael was their judge. Tim's throwing a fit over losing now, it seems. Poor Raphy tried to calm him down with a placating gesture— like this." She put two hands up to mime _'stop.'_ "Tim just bit the tips of his fingers!"

Imelda laughed some more as a very angry, bright red innocence bird berated the golden golem for harassing its accommodator, warbling angrily.

"Wow. I missed a lot there. I guess. But… _Brain?_ Bird of Rain, right?"

"Oh, that's a nickname for his innocence that I came up with before we all went to bed the other night. B'rain likes it, and Raphael's a smart guy so it suits him fine too. I thought you were with us then, but now I remember— you were having a drink with Lavi and the bartender at the time. I guess he forgot to tell you…"

Lenalee sighed unreservedly, and she could see the surprise and dismay on Imelda's face. "He really loves that bird and he has a great memory. He didn't forget. He probably thought it was too _embarrassing_. Telling me, I mean. Not that the _name_ is embarrassing."

Imelda touched her hand to Lenalee's upper arm. Apology? Reassurance? Maybe both. "Well he does think very highly of you. He talks about you a _lot."_

Lenalee tilted her head to the side, obvious question on her face: _What does he say?_

"That you're beautiful, and really great with people. I think he meant that as a comparison to himself, but he's not nearly as awkward as he thinks he is. He says some _really_ funny stuff sometimes, though—"

_That fond look again. People hit it off so well with her. Even_ Kanda! _I'm kinda jealous._

"He's a really great guy," Imelda finished. "I guess he just needs people to _remind_ him of that once in a while."

Lenalee may not have had Imelda's skill for reading people, but she knew that the girl was being very diplomatic, just then. That statement was her way of reminding Lenalee that Raphy needed his girlfriend's praise. Yet Imelda conveyed that message without the slightest hint of an accusation she'd neglected him. At all.

Now, guilt began to set in as her doubts surfaced: _Does he feel inadequate?_

_Still?_

"Look, it's Allen," Imelda tipped her head toward the boat for a merciful change of subject. They watched Kanda start to leave, but then stop rather jerkily before returning to Allen's side. "Now he's even standing next to Kanda. I _knew_ they'd be alright."

"Those two have come so far in just half a year," Lenalee mused, smiling.

"Oh?"

"They still fight a little sometimes, but they used to get into all-out brawls like _all the time_. They scrapped like cats and dogs with their claws and fangs out. On that mission where I met Raphy, they were _insufferable!"_

"So they fought with fists— or maybe with Innocence even?"

Lenalee laughed with genuine mirth for the first time in a long while. "Both."

"Ouch. But they're obviously much better now."

"Yeah," Lenalee agreed, watching Imelda nod vaguely as she watched the strangely blank expression on Allen's face just now.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that 'B'rain,' as the bird Innocence was now apparently being called, had just finished fussing over Raphy's chewed up fingers. If she knew Timcanpy, he was probably looking very smug right about now, but he wasn't in her field of vision.

Although they shouldn't have been able to hear anyway, Lenalee leaned over to whisper confidentially in Imelda's ear; "Except they still bicker like an old married couple."

Imelda found that comment especially amusing, Lenalee observed. She seemed about to speak but instead laughed— breathily yet with definite surprise, covering her mouth as she did so. Lenalee wasn't ignorant to the fact that men were sometimes attracted to each other instead of women, but the thought of _these two_ being like _that_ truly was quite funny when she thought about it.

As if he _had_ been listening, Allen waved rather nervously at the two of them just then. It took only one glance between them for Imelda and Lenalee to both burst out in giggles at this point.

oOoOo

Marie's feeling of unease settled somewhat when he finally found Allen and Kanda below deck. No one in the Sète team seemed bothered by it, but he really couldn't shake the feeling that their entire group was being watched. He might get distracted from it for short stretches at a time, but that feeling from right before they fought off that wave of akuma the other day kept _returning_ intermittently. The previous Exorcists, Finders, and Imelda hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, however. Neither had Allen Walker sensed any akuma that hadn't already shown themselves, and Marie himself couldn't hear anything more suspicious than voices of odd _tones,_ or unusual sounds in unlikely places. He _thought_ perhaps Kanda was aware, considering how on-edge he'd been lately, but evidently not even _he_ was on to it.

So what was this feeling? Was he imagining things?

He was about to accept that as the most likely scenario until he heard Kanda and Allen's description of the 'cursed woman' and the little boy she was travelling with. Kanda seemed bothered by the woman somehow. Allen thought it was the little boy who seemed strange— a boy he'd actually met before. He wondered if he should perhaps try napping during the day in order to stay up and listen to their surroundings at _night—_ so he might catch something different. Or maybe he should just go to bed a little later?

After chatting in the lower deck for a minute as stragglers finally began to enter the room around them, the three returned to the surface to bid their final farewells to their colleagues remaining in Sète. The boat was _just_ beginning to depart now. Lavi and Raphael flanked the girls, and a now-peaceable Timcanpy was on his way to reunite with Allen (with Raphael's bird fluffing its feathers at him indignantly from behind— or so it seemed— in the background).

_Depending how things go,_ he figured, _we may not see them again until we all get back to HQ…_

"Oi. You owe me for the uniform, bean sprout."

"What? So what about _mine_ then, jerk? You struck _first!"_

One thing Marie always enjoyed about his current company was how their words could be so antagonistic, and yet their respective tones of voice, and the energy radiating from each of them betrayed a certain mutual _joy_ while in each other's presence _._ Allen's had a certain spirited _spark_ to it, and Kanda's was adversarial and _instigating_ — continually fuelling the resulting flame. This was quite rare for a guy who generally chose to mind his own business and not interact with others. Their horsing around amused the quiet Austrian Exorcist to no end, but it also made him very happy for them both. Somehow, they understood each other in their own unique way.

"Mine's more expensive, idiot."

"What, because you've got that long dress-thing you wear?"

" _Dress?_ My uniform is designed to hide footwork and flow with my movements. At least I don't have short little boys' trousers like yours that flare out at the knees."

"The hell? ' _Little boy' trousers?"_

The two simultaneously grabbed each other's collars. Other passengers gasped at the seemingly volatile situation nearby. As was customary for them at these times however, the pair were quite oblivious. Feeling eyes falling on him as well, Marie calmly shrugged back at these strangers to intimate that things would be _just fine_. He knew well by now that it was pointless to intervene once their disputes reached this point. Better to let it run its course. Also, _lately,_ things were a little different—

Just as quickly as their tiff had escalated, the boys suddenly let go of each others' clothing, choosing to glare meaningfully at each other instead. Kanda sneered silently at Allen's uniform and Allen— without any objection from Kanda— inspected the damage he'd done to the other's, picking his way through the fraying threads on the man's lowered arm with the fingers of his right hand. "You know what?"

Kanda's gaze skipped up from Allen's uniform to where their eyes could meet. "What?"

"I've uh… I've got a small sewing kit, you know," Allen mumbled, watching a flap that was already developing at the hole on his arm shift around with his hand gestures. Later on, we can stitch our clothes back into hopefully better shape. I'll let you use it, b-but I'm not gonna _do_ yours, BaKanda."

Kanda crossed his arms over his chest. "Tch. Fine."

He was indeed like a little brother to Marie, yet had endured such unspeakable suffering he knew so little about. At times it even felt almost as though Kanda had lived much longer than _he_ had. Yet despite deep emotional scarring of his own— or perhaps with its help —Allen was able to _reach_ Kanda. He was a good influence that brought out his better qualities, while Kanda consistently brought Allen out of emotional isolation.

As if nothing had just happened, the two settled into leaning against the railing to watch the others, who had begun to wave more frantic goodbyes. Allen waved back animatedly as Kanda stood stiffly by his side. Marie stepped next to them, content to listen to everything happening around them.

That was when he picked up on the voices of Lenalee and Imelda, both now well out of earshot of the other two: _"I was sooo sure they'd started up again, but then they just…_ stopped. _I wish I could tell them how happy I am that they're getting along so well."_

" _I'm sure there'll be time for that later on."_

" _Yeah, but still… I mean look at them now, just_ being _together like… like_ comrades."

Kanda sighed in boredom, leaning off the edge of the boat. Allen turned his head to watch their companion's eyes skimming over the sights of the port they were leaving.

_Imelda laughed and answered: "I guess that was a lot to ask in the past, huh? But they're obviously—"_

" _Look how Allen's smiling, too. He looks so… happy. God it's like they're— Oh my God, wait a minute…"_

" _What?"_

Marie's eyebrows rose with his interest at what observation Lenalee might come out with.

" _The way they've been getting along lately; the way Allen could even speak right into Kanda's ear at the meeting— as if no one would notice that! —and then the way he's looking at Kanda almost_ affectionately _right now… it's like something's_ happened _between them. Like… as if…"_

"Stop looking at me like that, Baka-Moyashi," Marie heard from close by.

"Like _what,_ BaKanda?"

"Like an idiot."

"More like I'm looking _at_ an idiot," Allen grumbled with noticeably false irritation.

He was listening to two conversations at once, but the silence from Imelda, Marie thought, was _deafening_. Could it be?

" _Imelda, you don't think—"_

" _Oh yeah, they're an item alright,"_ Lavi cut in, squeezing between the girls from behind and placing an arm around each of them at the shoulders. Marie sensed a sharp turn of Imelda's head to face him. _"What? She's obviously already figured it out."_

" _Lavi… you're SERIOUS? Kanda and Allen are—"_

" _Yes. It seems so_ ," a resigned Imelda finally chimed in before gently sliding Lavi's arm down a little and looking back over her shoulder at Raphael.

" _And you_ knew, _Lavi? Imelda?"_

" _Hey, I just found out after that night we were all drinking together_ ," he explained.

" _And I only read it off of Allen and_ this guy," Imelda cocked an accusatory thumb at Lavi, _"last night, myself."_

" _Oh… oh my God… so it's TRUE, then?"_

" _Sure they're both guys, but they kinda_ belong _together, don't you think?"_

" _Oh I don't care about that. No, I don't know why but I'm just so_ happy _for them!"_

Marie smiled to himself at Lenalee's realization that made it all make sense for him as well. Honestly, he felt some rather bothersome prickling sensations in his eyes.

"Wait, Lenalee's crying!" Allen shouted from nearby, startled and slightly panicked. "Why is she _crying?"_

"Tch. Probably that Baka-Usagi's fault," Kanda groused with typical distaste.

"He _can_ get insensitive at times. But Imelda and Raphael are there to help."

Marie dutifully stifled his laughter.

(And his tears.)


	16. Barcelona's New Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A month since the last update but what's this? Could it be an entire chapter from Kanda's POV?

When Allen, Kanda, and Marie reached Barcelona, there was still no Finder waiting for them. Luckily, the woman and child they were trailing elected to disembark. So the trio followed suit, sending Timcanpy to escort the seemingly innocuous pair while the three of them had a bite to eat. The little boy seemed to be quite a fan of the golden golem; and the so-called 'cursed woman' apparently had a far better reputation in this town, as she insisted on having her 'good friend' set them up with comfortable lodgings.

"At least we can have some good food," _Moyashi_ had said with a disturbing level of glee; "Nothing like a big town for finding great restaurants!"

Kanda already knew there was hardly any cuisine in the world that Allen Walker would turn his nose up at, yet it appeared that went double for _tapas_.

"—as 'oping we'd get t'stop back 'ere. I _looove_ Spain!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, _Baka-Moyashi…_ " Kanda's lip curled.

Somehow Walker managed to witness that snarl and yet smile back. _Affectionately_. Kanda wasn't sure what to make of the bean sprout's bubbly attitude. Ever since they'd met the old woman and little boy they were following, he'd become strangely exuberant.

Or maybe it wasn't about _them_.

"Kanda, you've got to _try_ this!"

"No I don't."

"Yes you _do._ "

" _Tch."_

"Isn't it good Marie?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, you should try some, Kanda."

"Right, so _here—_ "

It was a surprise attack and so Kanda acted on reflex. Weirdly, that reflex appeared to be to bite, chew, and _swallow?_ He expected he'd grimace at least, but that wasn't working out either, because—

"Not bad, huh Kanda?"

"It's not _soba_ … but it's… alright," he admitted, not being one to lie. That brat. Those delicately marinated and seasoned morsels actually made his mouth _water_ a little.

Now Kanda wanted to punch the smallish smirk off Marie's face. First, however, he had a _Baka-Moyashi_ to deal with. _Priorities._ So he took a breath to speak and—

"You too, Marie. You haven't tried _these_ ones yet right?"

Allen was already placing food on Marie's plate. Not _feeding_ him, but still. The unpleasant crawling sensation in Kanda's stomach was something like anger, but somehow wasn't a result of being treated like a little kid a minute ago.

He objected on those grounds, regardless; "We're not children, _Moyashi."_

"Pfft. It's not childish to enjoy fine foods, _BaKanda."_

"Boys, boys, let's not start now, alright?"

"Yes yes, you're right Marie." Walker posed as agreeable and mature before turning to stick his tongue out at Kanda.

He simply rolled his eyes. When Walker _mirrored_ that action, Kanda resorted to sticking _his_ tongue out too, attempting to look as disgusted as possible. That way, he could resist that irksome tugging at the corners of his mouth when those laughing grey eyes refocused all their attention on him.

oOo

At the strange old lady's insistence, the three checked in at the same hotel as her and the bratty kid. The pair had insisted they all meet for breakfast in the morning because apparently the woman had something to say to them.

"They have _names,_ Kanda." Allen Walker sighed. Why on earth bean sprout was so concerned about _his_ manners and social skills, Kanda would never know. _"Madame Jugan_ and little _Christophe._ Or rather, _Madame_ wants us call her _Jeanne_. _"_

"Whatever." Typical French names. "They've gone to bed anyway right?"

"Well they didn't strike me as _night owls_ exactly…"

"Shut up, Marie," Kanda griped.

"I wonder what could they possibly have to _say_ to us though," Marie continued aloud, as if Kanda hadn't just urged him to be silent. "I mean of course we should follow up on any and all leads, but… well…"

"It's definitely quite odd," Allen agreed, nodding vigorously. "Isn't it, Kanda?"

Caught mid-yawn, the swordsman obliged them a disinterested nod.

"I guess we'll find out in the morning."

"Speaking of night owls by the way, I think I'll turn in early. Have a nice night, guys."

"Marie, are you really gonna leave me _alone_ with him?"

The man laughed as he got up, another irritatingly cocky little smile on his face; "I'm sure you'll manage somehow, Allen."

" _Tch."_ Kanda scoffed into a swig of beer as his old friend walked away.

oOo

After Marie retired to bed, Kanda and the bean sprout quickly bathed, mindful of the other guests, and returned to the rooms to realize they hadn't even settled upon sleeping arrangements, earlier. Kanda was shocked Marie didn't think to do that before he left the two of them alone. It wasn't like him for that kind of thing to slip his mind…

So right now there were two rooms to _three_ men; two beds per room. Somebody would get a room _alone_ to himself, that night. A no-brainer, really. Kanda just immediately claimed a bed in the empty room, tossing his things on and sitting there cross-legged as he sifted through his meagre travel possessions. _'Madame'_ and the little kid were two doors down; Marie was in between. Walker could go wherever, and so settled onto the bed at the opposite wall. Across the room. Kanda glanced over once as the young man began to remove his shirt; electing to sleep topless that night.

Kanda found himself staring… and not really caring that he was so obvious. Barely any time passed before the object of his gaze took a breath to speak; "Um, Kanda?"

He focused his stare on those clear-grey eyes.

"I uh… just realized something…"

Genuinely curious, Kanda raised his eyebrows. Walker crossed the room in light, measured steps and sat next to where he had his knees folded at the edge of the bed.

"We're… next door to Marie."

"Yeah," he agreed. _"And?"_

"What if we wake him— oh wait, but he can—" Kanda could hear the gears slowly turning in the bean sprout's head. "Oh my god, it's not just today! What if we kept him awake last night and— and then there were also other times we—"

"Calm down, _Moyashi."_

"But how can I calm down if—"

" _Moyashi,_ shut it, I said." This earned Kanda a decent glare. Also, blessed _silence._ "You're worried Marie can hear us, huh?"

Kanda grinned and laughed aloud at the scandalized bean sprout, enjoying the colour spreading on his cheeks.

"What're you chuckling about? Obviously he's got to be able to—"

"Marie can't hear anything at night— he's got his ears covered."

Walker stood in place by the bed. "But what if he wakes for water or the… _v-vibrations_ … are too much, or…"

In a snap, Kanda wrapped his legs around the secret eighteen-year-old's thighs, forcing him to fall onto him upon the bed; a helpless frustrated sound escaping his lips. "The man sleeps like a rock. Believe me, I know. It's the only way he could get through missions with Daisya."

"Huh? What does Daisya have to do with…"

"Because when we weren't out in public, the guy could hardly keep his own hand out of his pants."

Walker gasped aloud, outraged, some hair falling around his face as he hovered over Kanda on all fours.

"Always in the restrooms, jerking off like that. That horny bastard was the only one who could ever really get under Marie's skin. And only at _those_ kinds of times— though he was pretty discreet. He was just so dense he never realized Marie could still _hear_ him."

Walker was still gaping, frozen in momentary shock at the sudden revelation about their deceased colleague. Kanda smirked fondly at the memory, and that was the only cue needed for Allen Walker to burst out laughing himself, collapsing bonelessly on top of Kanda in the process. "Seriously?"

"Yeah'm serious, bean sprout. Only way he could deal was by learning to sleep through fucking _earthquakes."_

"Yeah?" Suddenly, there was a highly distracted edge to the boy's softened voice as he slowly, deliberately pushed himself back up into the air again. "Earthquakes, huh?"

"Uh huh," Kanda saw exactly where things were headed… "We actually did have some quakes to sleep through, you know. Over in— _Mmph!"_

' _Bout fucking time!_

Walker smothered him with one hell of an enthusiastic kiss now; ungloved fingers flying to unbutton his shirt. Fingers still working, the white-haired wonder reared back. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to ignore you staring at me like that?"

"Yeah that was the _point,_ idiot."

" _Argghh!"_

Kanda answered the frustrated groan by yanking Allen down again, and simply pressing his hips upward and into his counterpart's own. Somehow that turned into a very emphatic, hungry cry and delirious kisses down his torso.

Kanda could get used to that.

"Mm, Kanda, how do you wanna—?"

Reaching one arm into his nearby bag for some oil, Kanda was in a pretty damn good mood now. He tossed the bottle over to his partner; "Here. _You_ decide."

Eyes half-lidded, Allen Walker smiled at him for a moment before snatching up that bottle and kissing him some more— quite urgently, in fact. He was whispering something nearly unintelligible about how badly he wanted to fuck him, and Kanda was very alright with that, all things considered. So he allowed his arms to tumble straight out at either side for the moment, immediately falling into that uncharacteristically trusting position to give Walker room to prepare them both with adequate lubrication.

Once the time arrived for Allen to slide into him, both were already panting hard. Both being very eager, it didn't take long for them to ease into a fairly rapid rhythm; Kanda pushing inward to meet Walker's thrusts, back arching at delicious vibrations; the warmth of Allen's hand holding steady on him as he bucked, while Allen's lower half moved in opposition; the heat from Allen's mouth as he sucked at a nipple at one moment and then bit into the opposite shoulder, the next. Kanda's occasional low moans brought a wicked feral grin to the young 'gentleman' Exorcist's face.

" _Kanda, Kanda, oh god yesss…"_ Toward the end, there was an ongoing litany of murmurs just pouring out of the other's mouth. He could hardly hear any of it but that delirium Walker seemed to enter at these times was a massive turn-on, so he wasn't about to complain. _"—are so incredibly fucking hot—"_

_Some gentleman…_ Kanda laughed inwardly, then cried out quite loudly, amazed at a particularly enjoyable shift by Allen, inside him. It was brief but still quite rare for him to make such sounds, and yet bean sprout was so much into his trance, he wasn't about to make fun. The only change was that he seemed to get spurred on even faster for a second, before slowing again and regaining some composure in the midst of this mad romp—

"Sorry'm not… gonna make it… much… longer."

"Go on then…"

Kanda wouldn't have believed Walker had it in him if he hadn't experienced such passion before… but still he didn't think he'd ever seen him quite _this_ far gone yet.

" _Kanda…"_ Allen whimpered, before beginning to thrust faster; pumping his hand a little faster over Kanda's own erection as well.

" _Annhh,"_ Kanda vocalized in surprise, voice breaking a little.

As their movements became increasingly frenzied, Kanda moaned low and quiet, and Allen's whispers resumed; _"Kanda… Kanda… Kanda… I lo—"_

_What—?_

But that split second of curiosity was obliterated by intensely heightened pleasure searing across his body right along with bean sprout's exhalations, gasps, and violent shudders.

Now both were panting heavily and sweat-drenched, despite having just washed up. (Kanda would be sure to use the damp towel he brought back to clean up a bit.)

Allen laughed breathily. "Thanks Kanda."

"Mmm," he acknowledged, but then asked: "What's so funny?"

"Marie… slept through… another _earthquake,_ didn't he?"

"Lame."

"Don't care." _Moyashi_ punctuated this pronouncement by collapsing to Kanda's side, burying his head into his shoulder and kissing it once before letting his face sink in.

"Still cheesy," Kanda scoffed.

" _Still_ don't care," the pair of lips mumbled against his shoulder.

"You suck."

"So do _you,"_ Allen answered, squeezing one arm around Kanda's midsection.

" _Lame!"_

He didn't resist as Allen's fingers weaved in between his own.

oOo

Morning came far too quickly for Kanda's liking. Especially considering the fact that in the midst of a potential reprise of their previous night's activities, the two were wrestling on the bed… until voices boomed down the corridor—

_"I really don't think you should—"_

"Marie?" Allen froze in the midst of straddling Kanda on all fours again, while this time Kanda had a foot pressed into his chest in protest at their current positions on the bed…

_"It's okay, we're all_ guys, _right?"_

"Who the fuck's voice is _that?"_ Kanda managed to roll Allen onto his back now, but the mood had evaporated and both were just listening now…

_"But these guys are a little… errr… violent…?"_

"Shit—"

"They're close!"

The twist of a key in the lock was all the warning they had before their door burst open and two figures piled into the room through it.

"Oooh now _that's_ something to see…" the trespassing stranger crooned in amusement.

"Who the _fuck_ are y—"

"Kanda! Allen!" Marie interrupted, intoning a near-hysterical greeting. "I'd say 'good morning' but I can't believe even _you two_ would be going at it— I mean _fighting_ — so early in the morning…"

Kanda almost wanted to slap a hand over his face at his friend's obvious coverup attempt.

_Wait, what the fuck? Since when did Marie know about—_

"That didn't look like a _'fight'_ to meee~" the stranger sang mockingly.

"Wait a minute— who are _you?"_ Allen finally spoke through his confusion.

Yet now that Kanda and Allen finally got to take a good look, it became painfully apparent just who it might be…

"Well I'm your new _Finder,_ of course. The name's _Luke!"_


	17. The Mysterious & The Lovely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So late last night it occurred to me "Hey, I don't really need to keep the Barcelona and Sète scenarios in the same chapter, do I?" and thereby realized I've actually been done this chapter for a little while now, and written probably more than halfway through chapter 18 as well! :Db
> 
> That said, apologies for the delay (again)! Thankfully I'm down to more regular pressures on my daily life and not as much of the extra stuff (& drama) I had going in the past few months. Hopefully it stays that way. ^_^;
> 
> By the way, for those of you who don't know, I have a poll up which is halfway to what I'd consider an acceptable stopping point. If you haven't yet, please consider answering that poll question on my profile.
> 
> Thanks as always, and I hope you enjoy!

In Barcelona, three Exorcists, a golem, a Finder, and two further acquaintances gathered to share a morning meal, seating themselves on the patio outside the hotel where they were staying. Since several of his numerous platters of food began to be delivered  _first,_  Allen ignored Kanda's look of distaste, tucking into his breakfast with as much gusto as he could muster. Madame Jeanne Jugan was smiling curiously at him however. The small boy Christophe leaned into the table too, fascinated. Their new Finder rested the side of his head in his hand in apparent amusement.

Allen laughed, and rubbed his left arm nervously under the scrutiny, at first. Regardless, he promptly immersed himself in his dining experience, expecting to have lost track of all sets of eyes by the time the others' food arrived. The very last pair, however, only left him when the eight-or-nine-year-old boy's porridge arrived.

At that point, Luke the Finder distracted the child by decorating the steaming surface of his dish. In order to create a silly face, the exuberant Finder formed lips and small rosy points for the cheeks from fresh berries, a banana-tip nose, and streaks of yogurt with sprinklings of granola in it for eyes and hair. When Luke was finished he caught Allen watching, and shot him a wink. Kanda let out a dismissive  _'Tch,'_  though Allen had not a clue as to why Kanda cared one way or another about some harmless fun the Finder was having.

Fancying himself the little artist, Christophe took the nondescript smiley face and began tweaking. The Finder laughed as the small boy re-imagined his crude creation, adding finer details. And he was pretty good!

"Heyyy…" It seemed Luke was pleased; the type to encourage a child, rather than be jealous or defensive. Allen appreciated that. "Unlike me, this kid's got  _talent!"_

_Maybe Luke isn't so bad…_

"I never cease to be amazed by Christophe's genius, if I may say so." Madame Jugan cheerfully shared. The mid-twenties-looking young man smiled winningly back at her, pushing chin-length blond curls behind his ear with an absent hand.

Allen slowed his eating to a near-normal pace in his awe. (Having noticed this, Timcanpy began to seize his own share of sausages, potatoes, and other items to chomp on.) Two seats away from Allen in a saucer of still-quite-hot cereal, white teeth appeared between precision-shaped, oatmeal-and-berry-blended lips; realistic highlights and shadows took form; a distinctive head of white hair was sculpted; and at last, strawberry-stain-streak pentacle and scar line decorated one side of that oddly intricate visage.

Everyone turned expectantly toward Allen as his cheeks heated up. "Umm…"

" _Tsk_. You made a bit of a mistake there, Christophe," Luke teased. He spoke from the boy's left and Allen's right; pointing at the wide and shallow bowl.

" _Did_  I?" The child asked skeptically; one tiny, narrow eyebrow raised.

"Yeah. Check Allen  _now_. His skin tone's way off," Luke poked his tongue into his cheek playfully.

"H-Hey now—" Allen replied lamely as Christophe, Madame Jugan, Luke, even  _Marie's_  smile told him he was caught…  _red-faced_. He looked to Kanda, for  _what_  he wasn't sure, but the man simply sipped at his tea in a disinterested manner. Somehow Allen found that reassuring until— and it was almost too faint to hear, but —he  _snorted_  into his teacup. "I heard that,  _BaKanda!"_

Suddenly, Christophe let out a surprisingly hearty laugh. How a skinny little thing like him might come to  _sound_  like that, Allen didn't know. Nevertheless, the boy rocked back and forth, holding his sides like the precocious little imp he apparently was. Once he calmed down, however, he picked up his spoon again, and turned straight to Allen to ask with a grin: "Do you like it?"

"I'm flattered, Christophe!" Allen flashed that toothy smile the boy had replicated. (Now satisfied with his mini-meal, Tim hovered near Allen's portrait for a closer look.) "You're like… the  _Edouard Manet_  of food decoration. Isn't your dish getting cold though?"

Really, Allen was shocked Christophe had held off eating for so long. Well, it was only a couple of minutes, but  _still_. Even now, the boy's attention only turned to another bowl just delivered to his only neighbour at the table.

"Wanna do another portrait?" Luke gestured toward the fresh, steaming canvas with one hand; resting his head on the other. A relaxed, lazy elbow supported him on the table. To follow up on a plate of eggs, he'd ordered his own bowl of the now-popular dish.

"Can I?" The way the kid's face lit up was outright  _adorable_. Allen's eyes flicked over to Madame Jugan, wondering if she would disapprove of them playing with the food even  _more_  than they already had, yet she simply smiled on and went back to carefully chewing her granola-topped yogurt.

Allen was so gratified to see the stern expression taking shape in the next bowl, he almost forgot to wonder just why  _that_  person in particular was chosen.

"Oh, great choice! Everyone back at HQ says these two get along  _faaamously_." So it wasn't Luke's idea, but he clearly found it highly entertaining.

Kanda appeared  _torn_. Allen wasn't sure what, but something was having an effect on the man right now. Concern shot through him as he realized his boyfriend hadn't said— and wasn't  _saying—_  anything. But it wasn't like he wasn't reacting at all. His eyes may have seemed locked on his food, but Allen knew that creased brow anywhere And that unmistakeable curled lip. Why was he remaining silent?

"Mr. Kandaaaa~ he's almost doooone~" Luke sang teasingly. "Have a closer look?"

Neither wanting to draw attention nor cause a scene (perhaps), Kanda finally took in the sight of the rapidly-decorated bowl.

"Oh!" Madame Jugan clapped her hands together lightly. "It's a lovely likeness, Master Christophe."

_Master Christophe? Is she his servant? Nanny? Governess?_

"Lovely?" Kanda finally snarled. Yet as if  _it_  was the source of the offending word, he directed his scowl toward his own food!

"Mr. Kanda's very finely-featured," the little boy explained. "The lines of his face are almost like a woman's, but definitely a man's. He possesses that kind of beauty."

Allen almost choked to death on a sweet bun he happened to be slowly  _inhaling_. (Timcanpy readied himself to capture the bun, should Allen drop it.)

" _What_  did you say?" Kanda challenged the little boy.

"Your countenance is almost that of a woman, but more like that of a man." If Allen didn't know better, he'd swear the child was provoking him. "Is there a problem?"

"Are you calling me a woman?" His eyes narrowed once again.

"Is there something  _wrong_  with being a woman?" Little Socrates asked. The only  _actual_  woman at the table tilted her head, endeared somehow to the child's fighting words.

" _What!"_

"Kanda, don't make that face!" Allen chided him from across the table. "Christophe, it's not that there's something wrong with _being_  a woman. Just… we  _all_  want recognition for who we  _are_ , and… maybe respect for how we see ourselves. I guess? I don't know…"

Kanda gave him a strange look that was obscured with that damnable teacup before Allen could decipher it.

"Good answer," Christophe nodded approvingly.

_Huh?_

Were he and Kanda just  _tested?_  By a little  _kid?_

"Nice job there, Allen," Marie commented from Kanda's side, wearing that strange new smirk of his. Allen observed this almost from the corner of his eye, while Tim landed on his head for a rest.

Luke patted Allen's right shoulder and he was so visibly startled, Tim took off. "A little jumpy now, aren't we?"

Kanda stood abruptly.

"Hold on," Luke urged him, raising his right hand to request he  _stop,_  while still resting his other hand behind Allen's shoulder. Something was twinkling there, in Allen's peripheral vision. "We still haven't had a chat with our new acquaintances here,  _Mr._ Kanda."

Luke spoke as if he wasn't a 'new acquaintance,' to them himself. His use of 'Mr.' seemed  _knowingly_  designed to provoke Kanda…

Gingerly removing the hand from his shoulder, Allen piped up; "H-he's right, Kanda."

Kanda looked to Marie— who also nodded— then grudgingly reseated himself. The sour, sulky face he now wore was entirely too attractive to Allen. Attractive in the sense that it posed a  _challenge_. If he teased Kanda some more, the man would blow up and he could get a rise out of his partner's inability to keep his reaction proportional to the provocation at hand. That was always good for a laugh. Or alternatively… he could try getting Kanda to calm down a little. Maybe bring out that rare ghost of a smile (if that's even what it was—? Allen still wasn't completely sure).

Though perfectly prepared to stay with the others until now, it made him want to be alone with Kanda again. So he could poke and prod at him. So they could explore each other's company some more.

A little over a month ago, Allen wasn't above torturing Kanda with a booted foot to his crotch under the dining tables of the Order canteen. Even if it was out a fit of  _annoyance,_  he was still able to be that  _vindictive_. Now, however, angry though Kanda may still make him at times, Allen wasn't so sure he'd be able to just  _leave_  after pulling such a stunt off, like he did that time. Or to pull that stunt without  _intent_  in the first place.

Lately, Kanda's presence was getting to affect him in ways it hadn't before.

The smallest brush of his shoulder; the hints of vulnerability in his body language; the occasional revealing notes in his guarded voice; the flickers and flare-ups of emotion swirling behind his eyes… it all drew Allen in, fading his surroundings out a little at a time until all he could think about was how badly he wanted to shut everyone and  _everything_  out for a little while in hopes that Kanda might let him  _in_  just a little bit more.

This… was what it was like for Allen Walker to be in love with Kanda Yuu.

" _Excellent, so now we can start!"_  Luke began, clapping his hands together authoritatively. Meanwhile, Allen put on as generic a smile as he could manage and dabbed as inconspicuously as he could at his forehead. "Jeanne and Christophe have some things they'd like to say to us, I understand?"

"Yes, that is correct, dear," Madame Jugan replied with a faint eagerness to her dusty green eyes. Her eyes took on the same twinkle they had toward the end of that strange first meeting he and Kanda had with her and Christophe on the ferry to Barcelona.

When she first appeared in the lower deck of the boat, she was like a spirit medium at a séance; ominous and  _otherworldly_. However, the moment Allen returned her her hat, she had all-at-once changed her affect to that of a kindly middle-aged lady— and that was when Christophe appeared as well. Then the two of them ran like the wind! Even as normal as they appeared right now, there was certainly something  _off_  about the aging woman and young boy. Somehow seeming a little wary of their guests, Timcanpy perched on Allen's right shoulder to observe the proceedings.

"Begin whenever you're ready." Marie urged. "We're all ears."

"There's no need to wait for each of us to finish eating first. We can simply start  _now,"_  Christophe insisted, suddenly impatient. Did he have something to say to them too?

"O-okay…" Marie nodded jerkily, apparently a little confused himself, now.

"Yes, let's begin," Madame Jugan began again, her face lighting up with a carefree youthfulness alien to most middle-aged persons. "My dear Exorcists."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points for anybody who noticed a certain minor incident that was predicted in chapter 10. :P


	18. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some roundabout Lavi/Lena angst, and time for a lead-in to (upcoming) _action._ Finally!
> 
> This chapter contains some references to earlier chapters. Just putting that out there in case some of the memories characters have sound familiar. ;)
> 
> ...aaaand I'm now shooting to end this fic at chapter 20 if I can. Only a couple more things to cover, and it's a nice round-ish number (double the prequel's length, tho OTL).

Lavi and Imelda were out walking. 'Patrolling,' they called it. It was a fine day in Sète and there was little else to do for the time being. Especially considering how much of a third and fourth wheel the two of them were to Lenalee and Raphael. At a peaceful time like this, young _lovers_ should be able to spend time alone together. _Right?_ What Lavi wouldn't give for a sky full of Level Ones to smash into dust right now. For those nice, satisfying explosions. For the sense of greater purpose. But—

 _It's not like being the next goddamn_ Bookman _is fucking purposeless! Damnit!_

If there weren't going to be any _akuma_ , maybe he could crash his fists through a wall, or ride his Innocence out over the ocean until he was all alone, and scream until he lost his voice? _Something…_

"You're not hiding it well," Imelda accused, wagging a finger in his face. "But it's okay."

"Huh?" It was instinctual— only natural to him to put on a pretense of ignorance if the slightest chance existed for a delicate issue to be dropped. He looked right in her eyes: "No idea what you mean."

"The jealousy, obviously," she answered coolly, yet without a hint of offence at the lie. "You were all loose and carefree at breakfast, but the _tension—_ the _heaviness_ in your every step now… it's painful to watch."

Lavi's lips pressed together in contrition. He noticed now that their aimless strolling led them back to the same little footbridge they had visited with Allen, two days before.

"You _know_ I know about your feelings, Lavi. Go ahead and _vent_ a little. It'll help."

"Think so?"

"Yeah," she smiled sadly.

In truth, a rueful Lavi realized, his inner self wasn't truly _distinct_ from his outward persona. It was only _numb_ to his longing. Or so he'd _like_ to think, even then.

His last defences were frighteningly weak. Every layer of his being felt _something_.

So… "Ladies first."

"Hmm?"

"You're gonna tell me what's got ya so _down_ all the time, Imelda."

If he was to heal by bleeding emotion, this girl was in for some bloodletting too.

**oOoOo**

"Well _shit…"_ Lavi had winced through the story and continued to grimace even now. But it wasn't like he wished he hadn't heard it in the first place. Imelda could tell he was just fishing for something relevant, yet reassuring to say. The thing was, the world of Exorcists, Akuma, the Black Order, Noah… wasn't the most _uplifting_ to draw from.

"I'm sorry. That's why I didn't want to burden anyone else with this stuff—"

"No, no, you haven't. It's good you've let someone… _me_ … in… is all." Lavi seemed to reflect to himself on something he just realized. It probably had little to nothing to do with what Imelda had just told him, but she was okay with that. Very okay with that, in fact, if it turned out sharing her problems might help him too. "That's a lot to have been through. All that injustice… and just plain bad _luck."_

"I know I shouldn't say this, but there's just so much I wish I could have done differently."

"You know _why_ you shouldn't say that, though. Right Imelda?"

She tilted her head, unsure and inquisitive.

"It's not because you you'll feel bad if you think about it. We can't all just _forget_ —"

She felt her brows furrowing as if on their own…

"—but we can at least stop _blaming_ ourselves for everything that goes wrong on our 'watch.' Ya know?"

Imelda realized she was staring at the ground now. (Lots of good pebbles there to throw.) She spotted a small figure skipping by her and Lavi on the bridge, too. She didn't catch the face but it reminded her of the girl from the other day—

_Oh no, where are my manners?_

She looked back up into Lavi's eyes for a second. "I-I-I guess?"

As if reading her mind, Lavi snatched up one of those pebbles. He tossed the little bit of gravel up and caught it in his hand a few times before launching it over the railing of the footbridge. It flew for some time before plunking down into the water. She smiled a little when he winked and handed her one of her own to throw. Clad in dark-grey uniforms, a trio of schoolgirls passed by; gasping, giggling, and whispering into each other's ears.

_People must think we're a couple!_

She suppressed a bitter laugh, squeezing the rock in her hand.

_Lavi's the heartbroken 'single' and… I'm just barely—_

"It's not easy to let go…" Lavi resumed with eyes very distant; his mind elsewhere even as he spoke. "But maybe think of it like clearing this bridge. One small stone at a time."

"If I could, I'd just take a big push broom and clear them _all_ — wipe _all_ of it out…"

_Actually, I want to get to one side, wreck the whole thing, and start all over._

"Well actually…" Lavi began hesitantly, then changed tack, his tone disappointed and almost accusatory; "You just want to forget _everything._ Don't you?"

Imelda's features hardened, becoming almost defiant. "Every day back at HQ I'm tempted to ask the Science Department if they can help me— i-if they can—"

"Erase _memories?"_ Lavi finished by way of interruption, expression now as impassive as hers was. _Appraising._ "So what's _stopped_ you until now?"

' _Wait— Stop! Please, you can't!'_

' _A shame my dear— you do seem like a lot of fun… but you're_ dangerous _.'_

' _Aaaughhh, God, it fucking hurts!'_

_Someone's laughing. Who's laughing?_

' _Young Miss! Excuse us, Young Miss!'_

Voices played through her mind— random and disjointed— blocking out all other thought.

"Hellloooo… Imelda? Whoa. You okay in there?"

"Uh… sorry." She feigned sheepish embarrassment. Though he could surely see it was an act, she gambled he wouldn't be able to sense the horror she'd just relived.

"Distracted?" His lips were firmly pursed.

"Umm… you asked what sto— what's been _preventing_ me… from asking them to…"

"Yeah. So what was it?"

"Respect… and responsibility. I can't forget about all the people I failed."

"So, in other words, _guilt."_ Lavi let his gaze drop here.

Those same three schoolgirls were on their way back again.

Her mouth formed several shapes, yet no coherent phrases pushed out of it.

"You seek _forgiveness_ from those who aren't around to give it." Lavi's eye was kind; sad, tired maybe, but not _judging_.

He wasn't judging her at all, she realized. Not like she thought. "I…"

" _Monsieur, Mademoiselle_ —" the children called out, laughing, and Imelda felt a chill go through her body. She stiffened as she turned to face them. Although they were smiling, there was no coherent emotion in their clear and pretty eyes… except _one_.

Lavi plastered on a big grin for the little girls, answering in French: "What can we do for such pretty young ladies—?"

" _Back_ , _get back!"_ Imelda shouted. "They're _akuma!"_

**oOoOo**

Raphael was playing the piano again, but this time without the groupies. Well, there were some young girls checking him out here and there— dashing young _Exorcist_ and all —but they kept their distance; unlike female Finders, administrative workers, and support staff back Home. Both then and now, Lenalee reflected, she was… annoyed. All in all it was an odd sort of 'jealousy.' She never really cared so much about girls looking at him. She wasn't insecure at all that one of them would draw his affections away from her. Honestly, she just wanted to know what was on Raphael's mind when he _played_.

He finished a tune he'd been plunking away at— sometimes light and absent-minded, and sometimes forced and fitful. Lenalee figured he must be uncomfortable about something. He began to look up at her now, pausing a moment to smile awkwardly at a pair of girls who applauded. Considering Raphael habitually forgot about such girls as rapidly as he noticed them, it surely wasn't what was discomfiting him. Or was it?

He breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when she jerked her head to indicate he should return to their table. With him being more of a 'big picture' type, Lenalee was reasonably confident he wouldn't notice her struggle to stop tapping her finger impatiently on the side of her virgin cocktail glass _('Yeah it's morning, but meh. Not like I'm having alcohol')_. Certainly not the way she kept recrossing her legs under the table…

"I'm so relieved," he breathed as he slipped into the seat next to her, slumping over slightly. Several pairs of eyes that had been following him all simultaneously widened and looked away.

"You looked for a minute like you might be in over your head there, Raphy."

For a moment there was a panicked look on his face that looked suspiciously like it was answering _'I was!'_ but then he simply stated: "I'm very glad you're here, Lenalee."

"It'll be our turn to patrol the town soon, so…" So… _what?_ Lenalee wasn't sure what to say or do anymore. He was so comfortable with her most of the time, and she was glad of it— wouldn't have it otherwise —but something was just _off._

' _No idea whatcha mean, but there's nothing another girl could offer that you haven't got!'_

Lavi knew just what to say, back then— the last time Raphy was at the piano. Lavi had always been so in tune with her feelings. So… attentive. Raphael wasn't exactly ignoring her though. He was just socially awkward was all. She knew better than anyone that he cared and he meant well, but Raphy just wasn't the kind of person to pick up on subtle emotional cues. Nothing like Imelda… or _Lavi,_ for that matter…

"Something wrong?"

_If it was Lavi, he'd be reaching over and putting his arm around me, or joking about taking baths together… wait, why do I have to keep comparing them like this?_

"N-no, not at all," she smiled in an entirely unconvincing manner.

Even Raphy wasn't fooled. "I'm sorry, but you _literally_ looked so upset just then."

"Huh?"

'— _he's not nearly as awkward as he thinks he is.'_ Imelda had said, a day ago.

B'rain flapped down to nest on Raphy's head, Timcanpy-style.

' _He's a really great guy. I guess he just needs people to remind him of that once in a while.'_

"Um well, I wasn't _upset_ exactly, but I admit I was a little concerned you might not be having that good a time."

"Wha-what? Things have calmed down so much and now I'm here in this great town, and I'm with _you,_ and… things _literally_ couldn't get any better…"

_He doesn't sound very convinced, himself. What's wrong with us?_

_When I think back, it's always been this way. We've always been… holding back…_

"Hey Raphy, do you think…"

"...think what?"

"Maybe—"

_BOOOOOM!_

The entire building trembled with the shockwaves from some kind of explosion or heavy impact outside. And there was screaming. So many voices screaming. For _Exorcists._

"Akuma?" Raphael's eyes widened.

"B'rain, can you fly up and lead the way? I'll carry Raphy. We're going straight there."

The brilliant red bird streaked out the tavern window and hovered there, awaiting the two Exorcists quickly emerging from an adjacent door. A clock struck nine o'clock as all three took to the sky.

**oOoOo**

Madame Jugan sipped calmly at her tea. Allen and Marie adjusted their dropped jaws, Luke's eyebrows met his hairline, and Kanda's lip curled in distaste at the complications that would undoubtedly arise. Even Timcanpy hovered skeptically, scrutinizing Christophe, who sat with arms crossed and expression haughty.

"E-excuse me, but you mean for us to believe that— that you're both _Innocence?"_ Allen asked, incredulous. Timcanpy landed at Allen's left shoulder in an offended 'huff' …of sorts.

"Correct," Christophe answered. "Is this _really_ so hard to believe?"

"T-talking Innocence!" Luke uttered in delight.

"In human _bodies_ ," Marie added, sounding disturbed. "With beating hearts…"

"Doesn't surprise me at all," Kanda interjected with noticeable contempt. This wasn't just his ordinary brand of surliness coming through, Allen observed. "Explains the boat—"

"Wait," Allen cut in, "If you're _Innocence_ then how about back in Sète? The young woman and little girl! Were they also— Were they t-two more—"

Christophe smiled. "Well yes. Both are innocence, like me. 'Mamà,' however…"

"That was _me._ " Madame Jugan giggled. _Giggled!_ Then she stood up and changed her appearance to resemble the young 'mother' again, right then and there.

" _What?!"_

 _Ha-hem_. She cleared her throat before returning to her older form to retake her seat.

"Oh wow. That's so weird!" Luke looked more intrigued than shocked. "So not only can _Jeanne_ change ages at will, but you've even met _other…_ er… _other ones?"_

"Y-yeah," Allen answered him. "I guess…?"

' _Mais moi… je… n'suis pas… une Exorciste, chérie—'_

' _Vraiment?'_

_So that little girl that thought Imelda was— that little girl was—_

"I… then you've been _following_ us, haven't you?" Marie asked, obviously bothered.

"We certainly have, but we wouldn't be so uncouth as to let any of you _detect_ us," a stuffy Christophe assured.

"So in other words, the ones you've been sensing aren't _us,"_ Madame Jugan offered.

"I keep telling you, Marie, as soon as whoever it is comes out, I'll just slice 'em up," Kanda sneered. Allen looked away lest his mind wander at the sight of his boyfriend squeezing the covered blade at his side. "Simple."

"That's uh… easy for you to say, Kanda." Marie replied, barely retaining his usual tact.

"There are two other… entities… tracking the bunch of you right now." Madame Jugan— _Jeanne_ —revealed. "We have absolutely nothing to do with _either_ of them."

" _Two!_ But—"

" _Entities?"_

"Ooh how scary."

" _Tch."_

"Beware, Exorcists."

"But… but that's _it,_ isn't it? Our mission's done!" Allen tried. "If you're _Innocence_ well um… pardon me… but…

"Beansprout's right. You're coming back to HQ with us."

"Oh no. Not _us_ ," Jeanne laughed.

"Especially not _me_ ," Christophe emphasized.

"We're experienced enough to work on our own. We don't require humans to synchronize with… _anymore._ "

_Anymore?_

"Maybe they heard about Komui's tinkering…" Luke hazarded the silly guess with his typical air of amusement, despite the circumstances. "Oh the dirt I've heard about—"

"If you mean what he does to Exorcists and Innocence, then it's true, all of it…"

"Don't let Lenalee hear you say that, Allen." Marie chided him lightly.

"I think she'd probably just agree with me."

"What is it you _want_ from us," Kanda demanded, unmistakeably disgusted; _"Innocence."_

Christophe turned to Jeanne and nodded his proud little head.

"I've surrounded this place in illusions in order to prevent your pursuers from hearing or seeing things they shouldn't. I shall release that barrier momentarily."

" _Love."_ Christophe spat the word, for some reason sounding very angry: "A lone human surrounded in _feelings of love._ You will find just such an Exorcist for us."

"L-love?" Luke began to repeat, but suddenly froze in place as a severe Christophe approached. The Finder's facial expression was stuck; he remained still as a statue.

_What's going on?_

A strong wind began to encircle the small group as Christophe turned his back to all but Luke and… spread his _wings._

_That's right, if he's Innocence, then…_

"Luke!"

With a somewhat apologetic expression, Jeanne spoke once more: "Be on your guard now, Exorcists. Things will become dangerous."

Strongly circling winds picked up all the dust and dirt on the ground, sending it swirling around them and into their flapping clothes; grit forming in their eyes.

"Luke, are you there?"

And then all of a sudden, as if nothing had happened, the four of them were sitting at their breakfast table again; hair and clothes ordered as ever. Wait, _four_ of them?

"What happened to—?" Marie began.

"I don't know."

"Tch. They're just _gone._ "

"What happened to what?" _Luke_ asked, smiling in his usual carefree way as if he hadn't just been closed in on by a freaky, winged, child-like Innocence.

"Uh-err…"

"Oh, you mean Jeanne and Christophe?" Luke gestured to two relatively clean breakfast platters at the empty seats in his vicinity— so there were traces left of their presence at least.

"Y-yeah."

"Well it was a little rude of them to leave early, but they at least apologized and left some money, right? No harm done."

"Apologized?" Kanda scoffed.

"Jeanne would have asked us to _excuse_ their early departure, I'm sure." Allen speculated.

"Right, she begged our _pardon._ You don't remember? How strange!"

"Strange doesn't even _begin_ to describe this…" a bewildered Marie commented.

Somewhere nearby, a clock struck nine o'clock and began to chime.

"Oh well," Luke went on, "At least it's settled where we're going next…"

" _It is?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Thanks for reading!** If you enjoy this or my other fics, and you think it might be nice for me to write a drabble on the topic of your choosing, do I have a proposition for YOU! I will explain the details in an upcoming (untitled as of yet, lol) drabble collection, so please watch my account for it! **< 3**


	19. On Rooftops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next will be a new instalment to "Stumble, Stride," I expect, followed by what will hopefully be the final chapter of "Heaven & Hell." :)

Kanda was standing on the roof of their hotel, overlooking a moderately vast view of the city of Barcelona. By day from a high place, as opposed to night from hidden alcoves below, the city was calm and welcoming. Still, he and Marie weren't ever going to forget they lost a teammate here. Marie, undoubtedly, would be paying his respects _on site_. Kanda saw no point. There was no way the spirit of an addle-brained optimist _misfit_ like Daisya was going to cling so morbidly to the spot he died.

That they had been brought _here_ of all places, on a wild goose chase…

And that Luke character got it into his head it was all about _Lenalee_ now. That it was Lenalee whom the _Brat_ Innocence had called _'a lone human surrounded in feelings of love.'_ That _she_ was the Exorcist they were after, if _'half the rumours'_ he's heardof people having crushes on her are _'true.'_ What an _ass!_

No, not just _him_. The whole situation was a pain in the ass.

"Kanda!"

_Speak of the devil,_ he quipped to himself in his mind.

"I've got my sewing kit out now, so if you—"

"Yeah, let's get this over with."

Kanda sat at one end of an iron bench, at the edge of a small rooftop vegetable garden. A neat pile of black clothing soon occupied the opposite end, atop the lap of a _Moyashi_.

"It's still _bothering_ you." Allen Walker's grey eyes narrowed. Timcanpy was nowhere to be seen. "Isn't it?''

"What?" Kanda stared straight ahead at the garden, but still caught a head of white hair bobbing around at the periphery of his left; now setting out needles and thread.

"Come on, Kanda. It's _obvious_ that you… don't like this business with err… _'free-agent'_ Innocence… or that Luke is suggesting _Lenalee_ is at the centre of this mission now. Heck, I don't care for the idea of it all myself."

"I know you wouldn't, Beansprout. The only one who _would_ is that Finder—"

"My _ears_ are burning!"

_What. The fuck._

"Oh L-Luke! We were just talking about your err… _theory!"_ Walker tested, wearing what Kanda supposed was a reasonably disarming smile as he hopped to his feet to approach the latest arrival. Kanda glared a moment as if to compensate for the idiot's kindness, then stood up and returned to the railing to take in more of the city.

"Oh? Any new thoughts?"

Instead, he ended up listening in.

"Not… really." Allen evaded. "Sorry we've made you travel all this way and—"

"Oh no, not to worry. I _am_ headed to station in Northwest Africa, after all. That's why they sent me; in case you had to go to Marrakech or Dakar or something. Well I could go as far southeast as Kenya, really. Great safaris. _You_ know."

Allen suddenly sounded ill: "Please don't make me think of safaris."

"Oh poor _baby_. Did you have a bad time?" the rumour-mongering Finder cooed.

Kanda's head whipped around to face the other two. Walker only appeared tired as this 'Luke' guy patted his arm at the shoulder…

"You should come visit me sometime," the Finder prattled excitedly, with a light shove to Allen's shoulder. "I'll make sure things go—"

" _Beansprout,"_ Kanda began in a sharp hiss. "Get to work already."

He watched Walker raise his eyebrows and shrug, miming a cheerfully exaggerated _'Can't be helped!'_ as they reclaimed their same seats on the bench. There, two damaged uniforms directed their attention away from the Finder's (shrinking) presence.

Allen picked the clothes up, separating them so Kanda got his and he got Kanda's. The way they worked things out for the day of the card tricks demonstration, they were fixing each other's uniforms after all. Kind of a way to pay each other back… or something like that. Same thing as mending their own, as far as he was concerned. No difference except to that _bean sprout_ who insisted.

The occasional soft breeze passing by was refreshing, however. It was quiet too, even if some neighbouring roofs were occupied by aproned men and women hanging up laundry. The hotel's white sheets would surely be pinned up to clotheslines to billow in the wind soon, too. He should have used this place to meditate, when he had the chance—

Back to the task at hand.

It wouldn't have surprised him if Walker was decent at sewing, but what if he actually _couldn't_ do much of a sewing job? Kanda immediately envisioned big, obnoxious red stitch marks, X-ing all over the immaculate blackness of his right sleeve. A hypothetical disaster he could attribute to a certain English _moyashi_ , were it to happen, and were someone to _ask_. A bad omen too, to some. Despite himself, he smirked at that.

"Hey Kanda…"

"Beansprout?"

Allen sighed, having just threaded his needle with ease. "I was just thinking… _wondering…_ "

" _Tch! Damn needle's all—"_ Kanda was listening, but the needle Walker had just given him was kind of narrow and didn't want to stay between his fingers as he threaded it. "What is it, _Moyashi?"_

"You're, um, okay there…?" at Kanda's vigorous nod, he continued: "I was uh… _wondering…_ like I said…"

"Yeah?" Kanda urged, albeit distractedly.

"What if Lenalee's not the one?"

"Not the one what— _Damnit_ , I need a different needle, _Moyashi._ This is too small."

"S-sorry." Allen put down his sewing to swap needles for Kanda, fishing out a larger one and even rapidly threading it for him in advance (with gloved fingers, no less). "I just mean… Lenalee is _involved_ with someone already, and so— it sounds so incredibly awkward to um…"

Allen trailed off, straightening out the fabric of Kanda's inside-out uniform sleeve. He may have been aimlessly babbling, but he had already perfectly anchored his thread with a carefully set knot.

"Well," Kanda began, slowly and competently knotting his own thread; "It wouldn't change that she's the best lead we've got right now."

"—I just… I don't get it. If _she's_ the one they want then why didn't they just go see her themselves? Why would they bring us way out here? And poor _Marie_ , he's had to—"

" _Hmm?"_ a serene baritone issued from the far end of the clay tiled rooftop.

Allen (but not Kanda) nearly jumped out of his seat in surprise, barely managing to look up and spy the man himself, looking back over his right shoulder at them from the opposite corner of the garden. And Timcanpy was perched on his left. At least that goddamned Finder was nowhere to be seen.

"What about me?"

"Um… we were just talking about how things have taken such a strange turn." Allen smiled nervously this time. "Have you heard anything new on your end, by the way?"

"No I haven't, Allen. In fact it's gotten strangely quiet since that… interlude… at breakfast. It's been rather unnerving, to be honest."

"Lovely," Allen sighed. There were a few moments of silence before he began again. "They didn't say it was _romantic_ love, but I mean we all care for our fellow Exorcists, just like Komui and the Science Department and Jeryy and _everyone_ … so, well, couldn't it mean just about _anybody?"_

"Anybody that's an _Exorcist,_ " Marie corrected.

" _Tch,"_ Kanda scoffed.

Walker's deplorably embarrassed expression countered: _'Yes, you too, Kanda.'_

Damnit, Walker had a point a minute ago. Lenalee was involved with someone, and that idiot rabbit and various other people were probably attracted to her and all, but maybe the person who was at the centre of it _didn't have to love anyone at all?_

_Or what if that Exorcist isn't the one that loves or is loved, but is simply 'surrounded' somehow? Did they ever even say that Exorcist has to be loved by anyone?_ No, never mind. Kanda decided to return his concentration to the needle and thread rather than dwell on this senseless and confusing topic any further.

"What if," Walker pressed, "What if it's someone who _is loved but doesn't love back?_ The _'surrounding'_ love could be _one-sided_ so…"

Walker paused now, briefly inspecting his stitching job for apparent defects.

_Shit._ Upon reflexively checking his own work, Kanda discovered his own stitches weren't _uniform,_ and he still had a bit left to go. What was _Beansprout_ getting at?

Marie yawned even in the bright daylight: "Lenalee's as good a guess as any to _start_ with though, so… Well anyway, I just came to tell you I'll be away for a short while."

Just as Kanda would have expected, the towering Exorcist had ironed every last wrinkle out of his uniform and groomed himself carefully today. He took honouring the deaths of his colleagues very seriously, after all…

"Sure. Please take care, Marie," Allen nodded at their colleague. Then, as if he had been an active part of the conversation, he turned to ask Kanda: "Isn't _'surrounded'_ a strange way to put it, though? Or at least _I_ think so. Why not the 'human' who 'is _loved'?_ Or who ' _loves,'_ or who ' _loves and is loved back'?_ It's just so… so _vague."_

"I don't see why you—" Before realizing it, Kanda winced at the sewing job he'd just completed. He thought about starting over… "We'll figure it out in Sète."

Marie nodded at them both before taking his leave, Timcanpy still tagging along.

"You're such a perfectionist! It's fine, I can wear it just like that! The gap is gone and no one's going to care how evenly spaced or how straight the stitches are. _Don't worry."_ Walker smiles. And he _means_ it. "I'm not going to be pointing at it and hollering 'Look what a _shit_ sewing job Kanda Yuu did on my uniform!' …or whatever you're thinking."

Their eyes connected, and for some reason Kanda noticed Allen's smile _fading._

What was _with_ him today? "You alright or what, Beansprout?"

"Hm? What?" A poor mimeograph of that earlier smile. "I've… never been better, BaKanda."

"Something on your mind?"

"Persistent, aren't we? What makes you think that?"

"Just answer the question."

"I was talking about the _mission!"_

"There's something else. On your mind."

"What? No, no there isn't. Thanks for _worrying_ about me though," he grinned, impish.

Kanda glared, exasperated. He could _feel_ something was wrong; knew it had something to do with whatever _Moyashi_ had been dancing around. He didn't like it, whatever it was. Maybe if he asked about the _mission_ some more… "Okay how about this: If it's not Lenalee, then who _do_ you think is the Exorcist we're supposed to find?"

Walker's mouth worked silently, half-formed words dying on his breath. Eyes roaming the farthest guardrails now, he half-heartedly mumbled: "I… I honestly don't know. Just… I feel we shouldn't be so sure _Lenalee_ is the one."

"Okay," Kanda agreed.

Now, all at once, Allen seemed _amused_ for some reason!

"Luke…" Kanda tensed in distaste just at the name. "Was he actually—?"

" _That_ jerk?" Kanda cocked a thumb in the direction of the staircase running down the outside of the building. "Probably fishing for more gossip to peddle back at HQ."

That's right. Their _only guess_ also just so happened to come from that bastard Finder.

"Oh?" Allen was smirking now. Not good. "What _kind_ of gossip?"

"Idiot. You know damn well what I'm talking about."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I've no idea, really." The cocky ass was outright _grinning_ now.

" _Beansprout,"_ he warned.

" _Allen."_ That grin wasn't going anywhere. He'd be _snickering_ next, unless—

"Fine. _Allen."_

Allen Walker gasped inelegantly. Victorious Kanda Yuu snorted only just a little.

A nearby clock struck ten.

o

"This is _great!"_ Lavi cried out— _again_ — for perhaps the _sixth_ time? Or was it the _eighth?_ His firebrand Innocence reared back in a silent roar as if in agreement, before taking out yet another swarm of airborne Level Ones. Actually, the entire cloud of them was thinning out incredibly fast, based largely on his efforts alone. "Just send 'em all to me!"

"I'm glad it's not too hard this time around, but don't forget I'm here too!" She shouted back toward the roof where he was perched, before flying after some straggler Akuma at the edges of Lavi's sightline that could cause problems if they wandered out of view.

Lenalee was tackling as many Akuma as she could with deft kicks and well-timed whirlwinds, but found she really had to struggle to keep up with Lavi's _speed_ today. It was a good thing though, or so she supposed. Lavi was a ranged fighter for the most part, Lenalee reminded herself. She didn't have to worry about him quite as much as Allen, for example, yet his current recklessness was still _recklessness,_ all the same—

Actually, as she understood it, Lavi _could_ have used his Heaven seal to take out or incapacitate much of the sky's hordes of Akuma in one go (since they were only Level Ones), but instead he tenaciously took his time, roasting small groups at a time with Fire seal. It was slower… but still _effective_ , she had to admit as each took out their last one.

" _That's_ all they've got? I could take on a lot more than this…"

"Lavi, I think—"

Lenalee froze; her blood ran cold as a Noah's familiar, disturbing laugh pealed out.

"Oh. I'd thought it would be more fun to see the _boy,_ but I remember _you,"_ the voice drawled, amused. "We had some fun in Edo back then too, didn't we? Not so long ago now, actually…"

Floating on the ledge at the far end of Lavi's rooftop was— _"Tyki Mikk?!"_

Lenalee wordlessly rushed to the shocked Lavi's side. If he was to fight a Noah, it would be as part of a team, together with her. Thanks to Kanda, they had hope they could maybe win. _Maybe._

_No… we_ will _win. I won't let you die here, Lavi!_

Lenalee's nails dug into her fists as Raphael and Imelda burst onto the roof to join them, both panting 's eyes glanced over them for a split second's appraisal before passing them over entirely.

"Just now, weren't you enjoying yourself a bit too much, _junior Bookman?"_

"What do you want?" she demanded, before Lavi could get sucked into the smirking Noah's head games.

"See, there are some _Innocence_ we have to find. Not the boring primitive ones _you Exorcists_ are synced to— for _now_ at any rate— but _others_ that have evolved into quite the collective pain in the _ass_. I know they've been here. I'm certain they've made contact with the lot of _you_. It's simply a matter of sussing them _out_ ," he gestured toward the town with one palm up. "So where are they, _Exorcists?"_

"What—?" Lenalee was thoroughly perplexed. "What on _earth_ are you talking about?"

She felt a warm, light pat on her shoulder. "Lenalee, maybe this guy knows something we don't. Err… I _think."_

Though he faltered, Lavi's hand never left her shoulder blade as he spoke. She found this reassuring somehow. Even though he appeared vaguely stricken at the derisive head shake he'd just earned from their _extremely_ unwelcome acquaintance, she knew how determined her fellow Exorcist was to fight by her side…

_Assuming there's no escape…_

"Oh of _course_. I suppose it's to be expected… that you wouldn't know about _them_. They are a slippery sort, this type. Still, you're our best leads right now, all the same." He waved his hand about his wrist in a carefree gesture that seemed to say he had all the time in the world, shaking back one thin silk shirtsleeve to reveal a gleaming gold watch. He promptly checked that watch. "Tell you what: we'll give you a little break _for now_. Have some extra time to get yourselves up to speed, since you so plainly have _no idea_ what I'm talking about. It'll keep things entertaining!"

Tyki Mikk laughed. Lavi and Lenalee shared a mutually perplexed side glance.

"But after that— Well," he snapped his fingers and all at once, Ark gates oozed across the sky, ushering in just as many Akuma to occupy the area as they had initially started with… except this time all appeared to be at _least_ Level Two. "It's ten o'clock now. Let's meet again in the evening hours, say— _eight o'clock at night?_ If you haven't assembled them all by that time, we'll strike this town… every hour, on the hour? And with _stronger_ reinforcements, I might add. Those three hundred Level Ones may have got your attention, but _that_ was just the beginning."

Lenalee noticed Lavi scanning the skies, looking thoughtful. _What's he thinking about?_

"Yes," Tyki continued as if in response, "We're having an unexpectedly _easy_ time raising Akuma with the new Egg… and they level so quickly, the Earl has been _delighted!_ …So I can easily afford to have some fun with you in this little burg."

"Mikk," Lenalee seethed, almost through grit teeth. "Why do you think we would surrender Innocence to _you?"_

"Except I _don't,_ though. You've got the wrong idea, Exorcist," his lip curled with a disdain that made small hairs stand up on the back of Lenalee's neck, "…about _who_ is surrendering _whom."_

She was about to make a face, but stilled upon spying Lavi's.

He was absolutely _livid._ The reassuring hand was tensing into a fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Your kind yet honest feedback is always appreciated!


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